Trey Gowdy is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina. A Republican, Gowdy represented the state's 4th District.

Gowdy's relationship with Donald Trump has had ups and downs. At times, Gowdy has supported Trump. Trump also apparently considered Gowdy for the posts of attorney general and FBI director. However, the relationship was also very strained at times. More recently, Trump seemed to want Gowdy on his legal team regarding impeachment. But this isn't legally allowed because of lobbying laws. According to Politico, Gowdy says he has 'no idea' about joining Trump's team of lawyers.

Closed-door impeachment hearings

The impeachment process led by Democrats has largely been held away from the public eye so far. This has increasingly come under scrutiny. Recently, tensions reached a new level. Some Republican representatives tried to crash a classified hearing at the Capitol. The group was led by Florida's Matt Gaetz. Condemnation of the act came from both sides of the aisle.

Gowdy was asked about the impeachment process on "Face the Nation." He answered that he "one hundred percent" thought the private hearings were a better choice, according to Newsweek. Gowdy led an investigation in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack in a similar way. He's also referred to public hearings as being a 'circus, freak show.'

He was also critical of the House Republicans who tried to get into the classified hearing.

He added, 'My bias has always been towards investigations that wait until the end before they share their conclusions.'

Gowdy was one of the most powerful members of Congress

He was elected to four terms in the House before his retirement. He'd previously been a private attorney, a federal prosecutor and a solicitor of the South Carolina Circuit Court.

The last position is comparable to a district attorney in other regions. He has appeared numerous times on 'real crime' television series, including "Dateline".

For two years, Gowdy chaired the House Benghazi Committee. Afterward, he was the chair of the House Oversight Committee. While leading the Oversight Committee, Gowdy got into an especially high profile clash with Donald Trump.

He had taken issue with Trump's allegations that the FBI had spied on his presidential campaign. Gowdy would be harshly criticized by Trump's allies. Few of his house came to Gowdy's defense. However, House Speaker Paul Ryan supported Gowdy and his stance on the subject.

After retiring from Congress, Gowdy went back to practicing law with a private firm. He also became a Fox News contributor.
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