The Republican representative who helped create the Nunes memo, Trey Gowdy (R-SC), came through with a bombshell announcement about that memo. Donald Trump thought the infamous memo would vindicate him in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. The president was wrong.
Gowdy is the chairman of the House Oversight Committee and a member of the Intelligence Committee. He recently announced he was leaving legislative government to go back into the judicial system when his term is up. That means he is able to speak freely.
When Representative Gowdy appeared on Face The Nation with host Margaret Brennan, he said that the Nunes memo absolutely would not give the president cover from the Russia investigation. According to CBS News, the South Carolina representative claimed:
‘It (Nunes’ memo) doesn’t have anything to do with obstruction of justice. So there’s going to be a Russia probe, even without a dossier. I’m sure the president is frustrated. You know, Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) prejudged the investigation before we interviewed the first witness. So I’m sure that that instructs some of what he said. I actually don’t think it is has any impact on the Russia probe for this reason.’
Brennan wondered if the Nunes memo threatened the FBI:
‘Speaker Ryan says that the memo that you helped put together here does not threaten the credibility of the FBI. The president has very different views — says it does. Where do you stand?’
Gowdy spoke about the dossier:
‘No– not to me, it doesn’t — and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it. There is a Russia investigation without a dossier. So to the extent the memo deals with the dossier and the FISA process, the dossier has nothing to do with the meeting at Trump Tower. The dossier has nothing to do with an email sent by Cambridge Analytica. The dossier really has nothing to do with George Papadopoulos’ meeting in Great Britain. It also doesn’t have anything to do with obstruction of justice. So there’s going to be a Russia probe, even without a dossier.’
Then, the representative continued with his support of the FBI:
‘I don’t think there’s a bigger supporter of the FBI in Congress than me and those of us who work with them in a previous life. I have tremendous respect for the bureau. There are 30,000 employees. Let’s assume that there are five that engaged in conduct that we have questions about …that leaves a lot. That leaves a lot that are doing exactly what we want them to do.’
Brennan followed up with this question:
‘Are these five individuals named in the memo that you helped publish?’
Gowdy answered by mentioning former deputy director of the FBI, Andy McCabe:
‘I think two of them would be. People can quibble about Andy McCabe. I spent, I guess, close to 15 hours with Andy McCabe in two different interview sections. I found him to be a professional witness even though I disagree with some of the decisions he made. And I think we’ve got to get to some point in life where you can disagree with the decision-making process that someone engaged in, without believing that they are corrupt or somehow part of the “deep state,” whatever that means.’
The show’s host wrapped up the interview asking:
‘Do you think you’ve served justice in your time in Congress?’
The South Carolina representative answered:
‘Not like I did in my previous job. I tried. The end does not justify the means (in court). And in politics, it’s just about winning. And– and I– I can’t– I don’t want to live like that.’
Featured Image via Getty Images/Zak Gibson.
