Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC) who has been involved with investigations into Benghazi and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, is the latest Republican to announce that he will not run for re-election in 2018.
“I will not be filing for re-election to Congress nor seeking any other political or elected office,” the congressman said in a statement released Wednesday. “Instead I will be returning to the justice system. Whatever skills I may have are better utilized in a courtroom than in Congress.”
He has been a strong advocate for Congressional oversight of both the executive branch and the election system.
Gowdy, the chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee, also headed the select House Committee that had been charged with investigating the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya. As part of that probe, Gowdy took a lead role in examining Clinton’s response to the attack — an issue critics used against the Democratic nominee during the 2016 presidential race.
“I enjoy our justice system more than our political system,” he added with a similar cynicism as comments he made in December.
“There are Democrats on (the committee) that earlier this year were talking about collusion,” Gowdy said. “When you reach the conclusion and then go looking for the facts to support it, it is a very different journey than if you do not.”
Gowdy thanked his family, coworkers and supporters in the statement before telling them that this is the right time for him to end his political career.
“There is a time to start and a time to end. There is a time to come and a time to go,” Gowdy said. “This is the right time, for me, to leave politics and return to the justice system.”
Gowdy’s district is comfortably Republican and his departure is unlikely to affect the balance in the House of Representatives, but his announcement is the latest in a string of at least 20 GOP members stepping aside.
worst news this year. One of the few I trusted. When Rep Trey Gowdy said it. You could take it to the bank. No read between the lines. No “depends on what you call sex” Straight out straight up. And he hold his on any time, any where. You thinking you gonna side step with Trey. You got another think coming.
Apod, you and I are on the same page. Sad to see him go, but because of the kind of person he is he has no choice.
“I enjoy our justice system more than our political system,” Gowdy said….
Yes, Rich and Apod, that page is going to be crowded for sure……He’s been a rarity …..a blessing. I think he’s about the only one in “pig pen politics’ that has avoided has avoided the mud slinging. I just hope his high ethics and sense of duty has rubbed off on some of the milk toasts. He definitely leave a void.
I always thought he’d be excellent as AG…..hmmmm