Chuck Ross on January 3, 2019
Trey Gowdy revealed his post-Congress plans Thursday.
The former Republican South Carolina representative will join Nelson Mullins, the South Carolina-based law and lobbying firm announced.
Gowdy, 54, worked at Nelson Mullins through 1994, when he left the firm to become an assistant federal prosecutor.
Joining Gowdy at Mullins’s white collar defense and government investigations team are his longtime chief of staff, Cindy Crick, and Sheria Clarke, the former staff director for the House Oversight Committee, which Gowdy chaired.
“I am very excited to join Nelson Mullins, a firm with a rich, deep, and diverse team of talented attorneys and a reputation for excellence in all facets of the law,” Gowdy said in a statement issued through the firm.
Gowdy officially joined the firm just minutes after the new Congress was sworn into office.
The four-term lawmaker leaves behind a mixed legacy. One of the highest-profile Republicans in Congress, Gowdy became known for fiery exchanges with witnesses during various House committee hearings. Prominent on Gowdy’s highlight reel are his public interrogations of former IRS official Lois Lerner, former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI official Peter Strzok.
Gowdy also became a favorite of reporters for his tendency to offer barbed comments on issues of the day and for breaking news during his frequent media appearances.
But Gowdy’s high profile also made him a frequent target of Democrats. As chairman of the House Benghazi Committee, Gowdy was accused by Democrats of leading a political witch hunt intended to derail Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
