Six months ago Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC, CD4) accepted the Chairmanship of the powerful House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (aka. the Scheme and Graft committee), after former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, retired. Today he announces his intent to retire from congress and enter the ‘justice department’.
There is a possibility Mr. Gowdy may be a candidate for a judgeship, something his close friend Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has pushed for. Another possibility is that President Trump has not yet nominated a U.S. attorney for South Carolina; the South Carolina federal prosecutor’s office awaits a permanent leader.
There are 93 U.S. attorneys in districts around the country. Each attorney tasked with handling high-profile federal crimes, terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and public corruption. President Trump put forward 58 nominations for U.S. attorney, 46 of those were previously confirmed by the Senate.
Senator Tim Scott issued a statement shortly after Gowdy went public thanking his fellow South Carolinian not only for his congressional service but for his friendship. The two lawmakers wrote a book together, which comes out in April, entitled “Unified: How Our Unlikely Friendship Gives Us Hope for a Divided Country.”
“I want to thank Trey not just for his service to the Upstate, or his love for South Carolina, or his commitment to justice and the truth, but for being the honest, good hearted man I know he is and will continue to be. He has always put the people of Greenville-Spartanburg first, despite his Congressional responsibilities grabbing so many national headlines,” Scott said in a statement. (SC Post)
Congressman Gowdy will exit at the end of this year. The 4th Congressional District, covering parts of Greenville and Spartanburg, counties is a strong Republican district.
There is a time to come and a time to go. This is the right time, for me, to leave politics and return to the justice system. Full statement here → pic.twitter.com/7I8AApqvs1
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) January 31, 2018
The Rubio-wing of the GOPe responds.
Next year won’t be the same without @TGowdySC to work & hang out with.Both professionally & personally he is truly one of a kind.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 31, 2018
I always said the reason @TGowdySC was amazing at his job was bc he disliked politics so much. Trey, thank you for your impatience, sacrifice, and fight to make our country a more just place. SC and our country thank you for your service. I thank you for your friendship. 🇺🇸
— Archive: Ambassador Nikki Haley (@AmbNikkiHaley) January 31, 2018