Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) will take over as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, replacing outgoing chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah).
The Republican Steering Committee backed Gowdy on Thursday, Politico reported. Gowdy accepted the post, saying in a statement he’s “grateful” for the opportunity to serve.
“I look forward to working alongside the other Committee members, as well as any member of Congress, as we discharge the jurisdiction assigned to us,” Gowdy’s statement said.
Chaffetz announced on May 18 he would resign from Congress at the end of June. His term was supposed to last until 2019.
In his role as House Oversight chair, Chaffetz focused on many of the issues surrounding President Donald Trump’s administration. Chaffetz was often criticized for being slow to investigate allegations against the president, including questions about the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia and conflicts of interest related to Trump’s businesses.
Gowdy previously chaired a special committee to investigate the 2012 terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The committee found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and critics said the committee was simply a partisan effort to discredit her.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Chaffetz called Gowdy “the right person for the job.”
“He has a long history of demanding accountability, upholding transparency, and relentlessly pursuing the truth,” Chaffetz said of Gowdy. “Under his capable leadership, the Committee will continue to work towards ensuring effectiveness and efficiency throughout the federal government.”
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