Trey Gowdy

            Representative Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is very popular with conservatives. As a former prosecutor he is very much a “law and order” man. He knows the law, and he has the courage to enforce it. Many conservatives rejoiced to hear that he was on the short list to be the next FBI Director and were disappointed when he “removed himself from the list of potential candidates.” Gowdy told Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he was not the “right person” for the job. He later posted the following in a social media post. 

I was out of the country on a House intelligence committee mission when Jim Comey’s tenure ended as director of the FBI…. I spoke briefly with Attorney General Sessions Saturday when I returned and again this afternoon. I shared with him two things: (1) the qualities I believe are indispensable for our next FBI Director to possess, and (2) my firm conviction that I would not be the right person.

            Even though Gowdy has often been a critic of Comey, he made a strong defense of Comey’s press conference to announce the decision of no prosecution for Hillary Clinton for her email scandal. Gowdy called Comey a “standup guy” who made the only decision he could and that “history will be kinder” to Comey than the Democrats were at the time.

            Gowdy came into the spotlight when he became the chairman of a committee to investigate the Benghazi incident. He is now expected to replace Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) as the next chairman of the House Oversight Committee. Chaffetz is leaving Congress on June 30, 2017, to keep one of his campaign promises to go to Washington, make a difference, and leave.

            Five members of the Steering Committee (decides committee assignments) say that Gowdy could easily win a race for the position. Steering Committee member Tom Graves (R-Ga.) intends to nominate Gowdy for the position and says, “Trey is more than qualified to be the next chairman of Oversight…. He has a lot of support from our conference, and given the responsibilities that come with the position and his past pedigree [as a prosecutor], he’s perfect for the job.” 

            This writer believes that Gowdy would make an outstanding Director of the FBI but is also grateful to know that he will remain in Congress. The American people need to have people is Congress that they can trust, and Gowdy is one such person.