Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) suggested that Trump’s UN Ambassador, Secretary of State, Director of National Intelligence, and FBI Director all consider quitting after the president sided with Putin on Russian election meddling.
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GOWDY: I can tell you this, Bret, the president has access to every bit of evidence, even more than those of us on House Intel. And Will and I serve on Intel. He has access to Pompeo and Chris Wray and Dan Coats and Nikki Haley.
The evidence is overwhelming. It can be proven beyond any evidentiary burden that Russia is not our friend and they tried to attack us in 2016. So, the president either needs to rely on the people that he has chosen to advise him, or those advisors need to reevaluate whether or not they can serve in this administration.
But the disconnect cannot continue. The evidence is overwhelming and the president needs to say that and act like it.
BAIER: So, he eventually set it through the week, Congressman, but what do you think was the evolution there? Why the hesitation?
GOWDY: I don’t know. I watched the press conference. It wasn’t just that line. It was — the president missed, I think, a really good opportunity to distinguish the United States from any other country, but especially from Russia, and I don’t know what was said in a private conversation.
But I do know this — we got a classified briefing this week, Bret. There is no way you can listen to the evidence and not conclude, not that the Democrats were the victims, but the United States of America were the victims. We were the victims of what Russia did in 2016, and it ought to be a source of unity and rallying around the fact that we are never going to allow this to happen again and we’re going to punish those who try to do it.
And there was this equivocation during the press conference that I’m glad he corrected it, but when you’re the leader of the free world, every syllable matters and you really shouldn’t be having to correct it when you’re the leader of the free world.
This is the same Trey Gowdy who spent an entire hearing attacking Peter Strzok
Gowdy’s comments are indicative of the fine line that some Republicans are trying to walk in this scandal. It is hard to believe that this is the same congressman who spent an entire day in a hearing to discredit Peter Strzok. Gowdy has gone from being in the witch hunt camp to suggesting that Trump advisors consider resigning. Of course, Gowdy can try to have it both ways because he is leaving Congress, but his comments show how Republicans have boxed themselves in by defending Trump.
When is the last time that you heard a member of the president’s own party tell members of his cabinet to resign?
In my lifetime, I can’t remember it ever happening.
The Trump ship is sinking, and even members of his party are starting to warn others to get out.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
