"Don't axe me nuttin', you cracker....cause I don't know nuttin'".
Posted on 05/30/2014 4:05:42 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Rep. Trey Gowdy's rise from obscure South Carolina backbencher to chairman of the House's new special Benghazi committee took a quantum leap last October, when he stole the show at an otherwise mundane Republican news conference about the terrorist attacks.
While only in his second term, the conservative Gowdy rushed to the podium and — with the conviction of a preacher and the erudition of a prosecutor — launched into a passionate yet disciplined plea for "justice" that mesmerized those watching, including his GOP colleagues on the dais.
"No one has been arrested, no one has been prosecuted, no one has been brought to justice," he said soberly. "I am not surprised the president of the United States called this a phony scandal, I'm not surprised [former Secretary of State Hillary] Clinton asked what difference does it make?... I'm just surprised a lot of people bought it."
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His three-minute address skillfully summarized Republican frustration over the Obama administration's response to the attacks like no one had before, and was a seminal moment in the party's push to raise public awareness about the scandal. And it instantly transformed Gowdy into a cult hero in conservative America (a clip of his remarks has generated 3.4 million views on YouTube).
Also impressed was House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who in May tabbed Gowdy to lead the new House select committee to investigate the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, which claimed the lives of four American diplomats, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
Gowdy, with less than four years in the House, lacks seniority. But his appointment came as little surprise to those who know and work with the 49-year-old lawyer.
"He is cerebral, deeply studied and actually one of the most intelligent members I've served with. And I don't say that lightly — this is not an empty compliment," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.
"If he can't get to the bottom of [Benghazi] then this will be lost to history, because he has a great capacity to work through an investigation and come to a fair conclusion."
Gowdy's direct, no-nonsense and at times confrontational approach to politics is the hallmark of the South Carolina native.
He challenged incumbent Rep. Bob Inglis in the 2010 Republican primary for South Carolina's 4th Congressional District, which includes Greenville and Spartanburg. During the campaign Gowdy ignored President Ronald Reagan's "11th Commandment" -- thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican -- accusing Inglis, who had a 91 percent rating from the American Conservative Union, of not being conservative enough.
Gowdy's decision to run frustrated some in the GOP Establishment but endeared him to the state's burgeoning conservative Tea Party faction, which pushed the challenger to a 40-point runoff victory over Inglis.
Once in Congress, Gowdy continued his independent spirit, occasionally bucking the party leadership.
Only months into his first term in summer 2011, he opposed the Boehner-brokered debt limit bill, a measure that eventually passed and allowed the federal government to keep paying its bills by raising the nation's borrowing limit.
The South Carolinian was accused of stubbornly holding to Tea Party principles at the risk of damaging the national and global economies. But Gowdy bristled at the notion, saying at the time that he and other backers of the movement are "not a bunch of knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing Neanderthals."
"We're interested in answering what we perceive to be the mandate, which is to stop the spending and change the way Washington handles money," he said.
The pragmatic Boehner apparently hasn't held a grudge, calling Gowdy "as dogged, focused and serious-minded as they come."
Boehner added that Gowdy's background as a federal prosecutor fuels "his zeal for the truth" and makes him a good fit to head the latest in a series of Republican-led Benghazi probes.
After earning an undergraduate history degree from Baylor University and a law degree from the University of South Carolina, Gowdy briefly worked as a lawyer before becoming a federal prosecutor in 1994. He prosecuted a range of high-profile crimes, including narcotics trafficking rings, bank robberies, child pornography cases and murder -- never losing a case.
In 2000 he ran for South Carolina'a 7th Circuit Solicitor, the equivalent of a district attorney. He defeated the incumbent in the GOP primary and was re-elected twice. During his eight-year tenure he was interviewed on TV shows such as "Forensic Files" and "Dateline NBC," giving him vital experience in dealing with the national media.
His time as a prosecutor was so important that the three dogs he and his wife Terri own are named Judge, Jury and Bailiff. They also have a son in college and a daughter in high school.
"If you ask him [Gowdy will say] the best job he's ever had was to be a local prosecutor," McHenry said. "So he's got a different approach."
Not everyone is convinced a prosecutorial approach to the special committee is a good idea.
Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, repeatedly has accused Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., of treating the panel's Benghazi investigation as a kangaroo court -- not an impartial, neutral effort. And with Gowdy serving as a chief Issa acolyte on the panel, Cummings says he is concerned the select committee will evolve in similar fashion.
"I do consider [Gowdy] a great prosecutor, I've seen him in a prosecutorial mode in our committee … but as far as this committee is concerned, I think we have to go in and be finders of the fact," said Cummings, one of five Democrats appointed to the 12-member special panel.
"I don't think we need to be making accusations before we even get in the room to hear the facts."
I have the same question. Let’s get this show on the road.
Boehner probably appointed him on the advice of democrats to look for a young white male with a Southern accent. A southern accent's a dog whistle to the 'oh so shallow' members of the press.
Choosing a white southerner feeds MSM stereotypes, shores up the democrat base, and offers the hint of possible PC racism charges. There's method to democrat madness.
But Trey Gowdy's not some blowhard clown like Haley Barbour...easy to trot out for the intellectually superficial members of the press.
Boehner might be a jerk... but it's worked in our favor this time... we got a good man running the Benghazi investigation... one the pips at the New York Times, Washington Post and LA Times will have a difficult time dismissing off hand. Go for it Trey Gowdy - we're with you.
Boehner probably appointed Trey on the advice of democrats to look for a young white male with a Southern accent. A southern accent's a dog whistle to the 'oh so shallow' members of the press.
Choosing a white southerner feeds MSM stereotypes, shores up the democrat base, and offers the hint of possible PC racism charges. There's method to democrat madness.
But Trey Gowdy's not some blowhard clown like Haley Barbour...easy to trot out for the intellectually superficial members of the press.
Boehner might be a jerk... but it's worked in our favor this time... we got a good man running the Benghazi investigation... one the pips at the New York Times, Washington Post and LA Times will have a difficult time dismissing off hand. Go for it Trey Gowdy - we're with you.
90% or more of the LIV’s have probably never heard of Benghazi because it’s never been a “hot” topic in the left wing social media.
What if any they have heard is that there is nothing there.
The first they will hear of it is when it becomes a “hot” topic in left wing social media and the MSM will push the official, read dem, version of what happened.
That’s how propaganda works.
A good example is the “Global warming” BS.
Only run stories supporting global warming so people believe no one has a dissenting facts or opinion.
People have to make an effort to get the opposing view and they don’t.
Sorry—that was satire.
Thanks—I thought it was obvious. But you can never be too sure. :)
Gowdy is a proven bulldog investigator and prosecutor. He will do his utmost to reach the truth, but to what avail? It is my understanding the special committee will have to refer any requests for criminal prosecution to the DOJ. Does anyone think that Holder and his people will accept and act on the findings?
"Don't axe me nuttin', you cracker....cause I don't know nuttin'".
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MILITARY.COM reported (during the post-Morsi ousting in Egypt), that US Pentagon officials declined to give specifics on conversations between DOD's Chuck Hagel and brilliant tactician Egyptian Gen al-Sisi, who replaced Morsi.
(NOTE Gen al Sisi, 58, received a masters degree from the U.S. War College in Carlisle, Pa, in 2006. The General is revered by Egyptians for routing the Muslim Brotherhood which Egyptians consider a terrorist organization.)
Although officials would not discuss the specifics of the military-to-military talks, the US would need Gen al-Sisi's approval to move through Egyptian air space if Washington decided to send Marines to aid in the evacuation of U.S. personnel.
READY TO ROLL About 550 Marines and their tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey aircraft are at bases in Spain and Italy on standby if they are needed. A Navy Amphibious Ready Group with 4,000 Marines and sailors aboard, led by the helicopter assault ship Kearsarge, was also in the region following completion of the Eager Lion training exercises in Jordan.
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AIN'T KARMA A *ITCH, HILLARY? the US helicopter assault ship Kearsarge, WAS in the region, ready to airlift Benghazi personnel to safety. Americans were lied to----we were told Kearsarge was not available to help endangered Americans in Benghazi.
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FIVE SECOND BENGHAZI QUIZ
(Q.) Who holds the key to unlocking the Benghazi secrets Obama and Hillary will not divulge?
(A.) That would be Egyptian Gen Al-Sisi who drove blood-thirsty Muslims out of Egyptian politics and has vowed to rebuild the 63 churches torched by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Right now, sitting in an Egyptian jail is a man al-Sisi arrested for inciting terrorism.
That man is Gehad al Hadad....once employed by the tax-exempt Clinton Foundation AT THE SAME TIME he was an active member of the Muslim Brotherhood, planning jihad.
Gehad is also conversant WRT how the M/B launders money to finance terrorism, using "tax-free foundations."
“The pragmatic Boehner”....this does not comport with what we know of Boehner.
I for one, will always believe that in the end (whenever that end may come) the TRUTH will prevail.
Keeping the faith ~
Gee, I wonder if SNL will mock Hillary’s clumsiness, like Chevy Chase did Gerald Ford’s?
NOTE: In advertising circles, one response is counted as 100----b/c at least 99 agreed but didn't bother to respond.
Propaganda is a percentage game.
If you can silence the people in the public eye with a mic and camera in front of their face and have them repeat the official line, it doesn’t matter what a few non public dissenters believe.
Most people will go along with the official line because they don’t bother to find out what the truth is.
They will accept the “truth” someone they trust tells them is the truth because that someone they trust tells them they have done the work for them and this is the truth.
To this day millions of people believe the FBI files Craig Livingston got were used to blackmail republicans during Bill Clinton’s impeachment because Rush told them so.
Total BS, but they still believe it.
The toughest part about truth is that it gets in the way of lying.
Thus the appeal of postmodernism—the illusion that you can lie and get away with it.
A bitter cost of believing there’s no such thing as truth is to fool yourself into thinking there will be no price to pay for lying, cheating and manipulating.
People now days are too lazy to find out what the truth is.
Sometime it’s hard to get to the truth, you have to do research, and you actually have to think.
It’s simple to go along with what the popular belief is because no work/thinking is involved, someone else has done the hard work/thinking and come up with the truth for you.
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