Now that Donald Trump has fired FBI Director James Comey, the search for his replacement is on.
Whomever Trump selects will oversee the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.
Pundits are tossing around names to fill the position of FBI Director, and Congressman Trey Gowdy is one surprising name being mentioned as a possible successor.
A lot of Trey Gowdy FBI chatter.
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) May 9, 2017
The Washington Times also reported Gowdy was in the mix for the position:
“– TREY GOWDY: The South Carolina Republican led the House committee investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s actions surrounding the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Gowdy is also a former federal prosecutor who boasts of his work on drug trafficking, bank robberies and child pornography cases. He was among lawmakers critical of Comey’s decision not to prosecute Clinton in the email server investigation, saying other government officials would have been prosecuted if they handled classified information like Clinton did, but federal officials disagree with that assessment. Gowdy said after Comey’s firing that though he had differences with the former FBI director on some matters, he “never lost sight of the fact that he had a very difficult job.”
Trump fired Comey because he was infuriated by his constant politicization of the Russia investigation.
Politico reports:
“President Donald Trump weighed firing his FBI director for more than a week. When he finally pulled the trigger Tuesday afternoon, he didn’t call James Comey. He sent his longtime private security guard to deliver the termination letter in a manila folder to FBI headquarters.
He had grown enraged by the Russia investigation, two advisers said, frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia. He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him. He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said.”
Gowdy – a former no nonsense prosecutor – developed a reputation as a dogged investigator during his time as Chair of the Benghazi Select Committee.
His work led to the discovery of Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
But he also handed the investigation deftly.
Despite the investigation being conducted under the white hot spotlight of a Presidential campaign, Gowdy worked to ensure that politics didn’t creep into the inquiry.
When Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested the committee’s work tanked Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers, Gowdy rebuked him in the strongest terms.
Gowdy speaking out helped undercut McCarthy’s bid to replace John Boehner as speaker.
Donald Trump will soon name a new FBI Director.
Whoever is nominated will be in charge of making sure the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into Russia’s alleged election activities comes to a conclusion outside the influence of politics.
No evidence yet exists proving any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
But Director Comey attracted criticism for keeping the investigation in the headlines by confirming the existence of the investigation.
But that’s not the same thing as confirming evidence of wrongdoing.
The next FBI Director needs to be less focused on massaging political considerations of highly charged investigations and more concerned with a fair and impartial pursuit of Justice.
Conservatives believe Trey Gowdy fits that bill and are hoping Donald Trump will name him the next FBI Director.
Gowdy’s nomination would make sure the Russia investigation follows the facts – even if it’s to a place the Democrats and media may hate.
