Gowdy Bombshell: FBI Withheld ‘Game-Changer’ Evidence During Russia Probe

Fact checked
Trey Gowdy says FBI withheld game-changer intelligence in Russia probe

Trey Gowdy dropped a bombshell during an interview with Fox News Sunday night, claiming the FBI withheld “potential game-changer” evidence from the FISA court during the early stages of the Russia probe.

The former House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman says he has seen unreleased transcripts between former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and an FBI informant — and says they must be made public immediately.

Theblaze.com reports: Now that Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, Attorney General William Barr has indicated that he will investigate whether government officials “put their thumb on the scale” during the Russia investigation, particularly in its early stages.

Gowdy teased that perhaps there was wrongdoing because government officials withheld the transcripts, which he characterized as exculpatory evidence, when applying for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants against Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

“If the bureau is going to send an informant in, the informant is going to be wired. And if the bureau is monitoring telephone calls, there’s going to be a transcript of that,” Gowdy said.

“And some of us have been fortunate enough to know whether or not those transcripts exist, but they haven’t been made public,” he continued. “And I think one in particular is going — it has the potential to actually persuade people.”

“Very little on this Russia probe, I’m afraid, is going to persuade people who hate Trump or who love Trump,” Gowdy went on to say. “But there is some information in these transcripts that I think has the potential to be a game-changer if it’s ever made public.”

The former South Carolina lawmaker went on to echo Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), who has called for the public release of the evidence.

“You know, Johnny Ratcliffe is rightfully exercised over the obligations that the government has to tell the whole truth to a court when you are seeking permission to spy or do surveillance on an American,” Gowdy said.

“And part of that includes the responsibility of providing exculpatory information or information that tends to show the person didn’t do something wrong. If you have exculpatory information, and you don’t share it with the court, that ain’t good,” he explained. “I have seen it. Johnny has seen it. I would love for your viewers to see it.”