Former U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) sounded off this week in response to a U.S. Senate report rebuking the FBI for its handling of a controversial dossier compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele.
Gowdy, who served as the chairman of the House oversight committee while in Congress, asserted that the FBI “continues to not meet our basic expectations,” as Fox News reported.
“Information you know is unreliable”
Taking aim specifically at the bureau’s current director, Gowdy said that the latest Senate intelligence committee report shows Christopher Wray still has some work to do if he wants to convince Americans that he is serious about cleaning up corruption within the agency.
His comments came during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s The Story that focused on the Senate panel’s conclusion that the FBI gave “unjustified credence” to the Steele dossier. That document, in turn, played a central role in the bureau’s justification of a continued probe into Trump’s 2016 campaign.
“It is one thing, Martha, to use information that’s not been vetted,” Gowdy told host Martha McCallum. “It is another thing to use information you know is unreliable, you know is not accurate, and still continue to use it.”
He asserted that those involved in the investigation are either “part of the cleanup crew” or “part of the cover-up crew,” stressing his belief that FBI leadership must make the right choice.
“And there are more things coming with the Durham report that show the FBI’s primary concern is its own reputation,” he said, referencing U.S. Attorney John Durham’s probe into the origins of the investigation into allegations of Russian collusion with Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“I wish he was more forthcoming”
After the Senate committee released a final installment of its report, Gowdy was among the Republican critics of the FBI probe who weighed in with renewed criticism.
For his part, President Donald Trump expressed frustration over the FBI director’s job performance in remarks he made last week.
“So, Christopher Wray was put there,” Trump said. “We have an election coming up. I wish he was more forthcoming. He certainly hasn’t been. There are documents they want to get and that we have said we want to get. We’re going to find out if he’s going to give those documents.”
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) issued a subpoena last week seeking the documents and Durham’s probe into the matter remains ongoing.
As for the FBI itself, time will tell what type of changes are on the horizon as a result of this massive scandal.
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