Gowdy: I don’t think Mueller probe is a witch hunt

Retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said Sunday he doesn’t believe special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling is a “witch hunt,” despite President Trump’s repeated claims that it is.

“I don’t think it’s a witch hunt. I’ve never thought it was a witch hunt,” Gowdy said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“Russia attacked this country in 2016. That’s the No. 1 thing we’ve asked Mueller to look at,” he added. 

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Gowdy argued that there’s been a disproportionate amount of focus on the other aspect of the investigation, which is looking at with whom, if anyone, Russia coordinated.

“So far, on the with whom if anyone did they do it we’ve got a big zero,” he said.

Mueller handed down indictments on Friday against 12 Russian intelligence officers, alleging they interfered in the 2016 presidential elections. Mueller charged 11 of the officers with conspiring to hack into the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee networks.

The other officer was charged with conspiring to hack into election systems, including a state elections board website.

The Justice Department announced the indictments less than three days before Trump was scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.

Trump has refused to condemn Putin for the hacks, instead blaming the Obama administration for failing to take stronger action.

He has continued to label Mueller’s probe a “witch hunt,” despite it racking up indictments or guilty pleas from more than 20 Russians and four former Trump associates.

Gowdy on Sunday urged Trump to press Putin for the extradition of the Russians named in Mueller’s indictment.

Trump told CBS that he “hadn’t thought about” asking Putin to extradite the alleged hackers, but added that he would bring it up.