Gowdy: Bannon has a credibility issue

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said Wednesday that former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon has a “credibility issue” revealed by his House Intelligence Committee testimony this week.

In an interview with Fox News’s Martha MacCallum, Gowdy, who sits on the committee, warned special counsel Robert Mueller’s office against trying to build a case around Bannon’s testimony because the credibility of the former Trump adviser’s statements were in doubt.

“I think the only thing dangerous for President Trump or his campaign is credible evidence,” Gowdy told Fox News. “This is the same witness that said there was a zero percent chance that the Russian lawyer wasn’t walked up to Trump, and when he was asked what that evidence was, he came up with nothing.”

{mosads}”This is the same witness that said that members of the president’s family committed acts of treason,” the South Carolina Republican added. “So he’s got a credibility issue. If they’re hinging the entire case on Steve Bannon’s credibility, good luck to the prosecution.”

Bannon testified before the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday behind closed doors and refused to answer some questions from lawmakers, prompting Democrats to slam what they called a “gag order” imposed by the White House.

“The scope of this assertion of privilege — if that’s what it is — is breathtaking,” ranking Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.) said. “It goes well beyond anything we’ve seen in this investigation. … This was effectively a gag order by the White House.”

White House chief of staff John Kelly denied that Bannon received instructions in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.

“No,” Kelly responded when asked if Bannon was instructed to assert executive privilege.

“Steve has had very, very little contact with the White House since he left [in August],” Kelly said, with the “exception of a few phone calls.”