Gowdy says he trusts Mueller, urges others to ‘leave him the hell alone’

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) on Sunday said he has “100 percent” confidence in Robert Mueller to conduct a fair investigation if he is given the proper resources, and urged lawmakers criticizing the special counsel to “leave him the hell alone.”

“I think he’s got a fair prosecutor in Bob Mueller, but I don’t think he’s got a fair jury,” Gowdy said on “Fox News Sunday,” referring to President Trump.

“Mueller didn’t raise his hand and say ‘pick me,’ ” Gowdy added. “We as a country asked him to do this.”

Mueller is conducting an investigation into Russia’s election meddling and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. {mosads}

While Trump has repeatedly labeled the probe a “hoax” and “witch hunt,” several Republican lawmakers have in recent weeks argued the FBI, and Mueller’s investigation as a result, is infected with bias.

Several Republicans in Congress, including Gowdy, have called for the release of a classified memo that purports to show FBI officials abusing surveillance power. 

Republicans have also fixated on text messages exchanged between FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page that they argue show anti-Trump bias. Strzok was removed from Mueller’s investigation last year after the texts were discovered.

“Republicans would be well served, let the texts speak for themselves, let the jury make up their mind and quit engaging in hyperbole, which we seem to do a lot,” Gowdy said.