>> Martha: JOINED ME NOW FOR PART TWO OF MY EXCLUSIVE EXIT INTERVIEW WITH CONGRESSMAN TREY GOWDY, WHO IS OPENING UP ABOUT LIFE BEYOND THE BELTWAY. WATCH. >> Martha: AS YOU GET READY TO MAKE THIS HUGE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND LEAVE WASHINGTON, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR ARE SOME PRETTY TESTY EXCHANGES YOU HAD WITH PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT WE ARE SITTING IN. ONE OF THEM WAS WITH PETER STRZOK. >> YOU WERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WERE YOU CORRECT? >> I DON'T RECALL WRITING THAT TEXT. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT TEXT IN NO WAY SUGGESTED THAT I OR THE FBI WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION TO INFLUENCE THE CANDIDACY OF -- >> THAT IS A FANTASTIC ANSWER TO A QUESTION NOBODY ASKED. IF YOU WANT TO REPRESENT WHAT YOU SAID ACCURATELY, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT I AM NOT APPRECIATING -- >> I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU APPRECIATE. I DON'T APPRECIATE HAVING AN FBI AGENT WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF ANIMUS WORKING ON A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 2016. >> Martha: IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE YOU LIKED HIM VERY MUCH. >> YOU ARE A KEEN OBSERVER OF HUMAN NATURE. AN FBI AGENT I WORKED WITH, WHEN I THINK OF THE FBI, I THINK OF GUYS WHO NEVER, EVER WOULD HAVE SETTLED ON THE THINGS THAT PETER STRZOK SAID OR DID. HE IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE FBI THAT I WORKED WITH, AND HE IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE FBI THAT YOU AND I DESERVE. MY ONLY REAL REGRET IS THAT I WASN'T TOUGHER ON HIM. >> Martha: WITH REGARD TO YOUR EXCHANGES WITH JAMES COMEY, YOU ASKED HIM ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON, WHETHER OR NOT SHE HAD SENT CLASSIFIED EMAILS, WHETHER OR NOT THOUSANDS OF THOSE APPEARED TO HAVE DISAPPEARED. >> SECRETARY CLINTON SAID THERE WAS NOTHING MARK CLASSIFIED ON THE EMAIL SHE SENT OR RECEIVED. IS THAT YOUR? >> THAT IS NOT TRUE. SECRETARY CLINTON SAID ALL WORK-RELATED EMAILS WERE SENT BACK TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT. IS THAT YOUR? >> NO, WE FOUND THOUSANDS OF WORK-RELATED EMAILS THAT WERE NOT RETURNED. >> DID HER LAWYERS READ THE EMAIL CONTENT INDIVIDUALLY? >> NO. >> IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AND BECAUSE I HAVE A PLANE TO CATCH UP TOMORROW AFTERNOON, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ANY MORE THE FALSE STATEMENTS. >> Martha: HE FELT HE DID NOT DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THAT, AND YOU TRY TO GET HIM TO ADMIT THAT IN THIS ROOM. >> I WANT TO BE FAIR, IT IS ALWAYS EASY TO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT AN INVESTIGATOR SHOULD HAVE DONE. I WILL ALWAYS BE TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS DRAFTING AN EXONERATION MEMO BEFORE 24 WHICH NOTICES 24 WITNESSES HAVE BEEN INTERVIEW, INCLUDING HER. I WILL ALWAYS BE TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT HER CHIEF OF STAFF SAID BEFORE THE INTERVIEW THAT THE ONLY CRIME SHE COULD BE CHARGED WITH HIS FALSE STATEMENT. THEY'D ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS. WE WILL NEVER SURVIVE IF PEOPLE THINK THERE IS A DIFFERENT JUSTICE FOR THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS ON THE POWERFUL THEN FOR SOME PRIVATE IN THE ARMY WHO MAY HAVE ALSO MISHANDLED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. THE BEAUTY OF US IS THAT LADY LIBERTY DOES NOT WEAR A BLINDFOLD. >> Martha: DO YOU THINK HE WENT TOO HARD? >> A COUPLE, HONESTLY. NOT THAT I WENT TOO HARD. THERE WAS A DHS HEARING ON VISAS AND THERE WAS A SECOND AMENDMENT COMPONENT TO IT, AND IT IS NOT THE WOMAN'S FAULT THAT THEY SENT HER. I NEVER RAISED MY VOICE, IT'S JUST, IN HINDSIGHT, WAS SHE THE BEST WITNESS FOR ME TO USE, TO QUIZ ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS ANY OTHER FACT PATTERN WHERE THE GOVERNMENT TAKES YOUR RIGHT AND YOU HAVE TO PETITION? IT IS GOOD TO REMEMBER -- ACTUALLY, IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS, AND IT'S GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE FAMILIES, TOO. AND WHILE THIS MAY BE A SPORT FOR SOME OF US AND WE CAN GO EAT DINNER THAT NIGHT AND I'LL GET OUR FEELINGS HURT, BUT FOR OF THE WITNESSES, THIS WILL BE THEIR ONLY MOMENT ON YOUTUBE. IT WILL BE THE ONLY MOMENT ON TELEVISION, AND DID YOU TREAT THEM FAIRLY? AND I THINK ON BALANCE, I DID, OR I TRY TO, AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS WHERE IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN I WOULD'VE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS BUT IT WOULD'VE DIRECTED IT TO ANOTHER WITNESS. >> Martha: YOU ARE LEAVING WASHINGTON, IN PART, BECAUSE YOU SUGGESTED THERE IS A FRUSTRATION WITH THE WAY THINGS WORK HERE. WHAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL FLAW? >> HUMAN NATURE. THE FUNDAMENTAL FLAW IS THAT COMPROMISE HAS AN INCREDIBLY SMALL CONSTITUENCY AND WE HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE NOTION THAT YOU CAN MAKE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE WITH 51% OF YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS. DEMOCRACY IS SUPPOSED TO BE TOUGH. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE TOUGH, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DYSFUNCTIONAL. WHEN I MENTIONED HUMAN NATURE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US APPLY THE SAME RULES TO OUR FRIENDS AS WE DO TO OUR ENEMIES. IF WE WERE REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION DOING SOMETHING, WE SHOULD BE EQUALLY CURIOUS WHEN OUR OWN ADMINISTRATION DOES IT, AND WHEN WINNING BECOMES THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE, THEN YOU BECOME A RELATIVIST, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE DOING THAT. >> Martha: WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE OF THE MIDTERMS? >> OH, BOY. UNMET EXPECTATIONS... CAREFUL HOW YOU FRAME ISSUES, RHETORIC MATTERS. I THINK IF YOU WERE TO LAY OUT A POLICY POSITION OF REPUBLICANS, I THINK YOU WOULD FIND MAY BE HALF AND A SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF WOULD SAY, OKAY, WE ARE WITH YOU. WHEN YOU FACTOR IN HOW WE COME ACROSS SOMETIMES, I THINK PARTICULARLY AMONG FEMALE VOTER VOTERS, THEY SAY, I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOUR IDEAS ARE, YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE A VERY GOOD PERSON. I THINK WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND HOW YOU COMMUNICATE IT ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED TO DO MUCH BETTER JOB OF HOW WE COMMUNICATE. >> Martha: ANY REGRETS ABOUT YOUR DECISION TO LEAVE? >> NO MA'AM. NINE. >> Martha: >> Martha: WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU? >> I WILL PRACTICE LAW IN A FIRM AT SOUTH CAROLINA THAT I HAVE A HISTORY WITH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WITH TWO LAWYERS THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND I AM TO THE POINT IN LIFE WHERE WHO I DO THINGS WITH MATTERS TO ME EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS WHAT I DO, AND WHEN YOU FIND PEOPLE OF UNASSAILABLE CHARACTER THAT YOU ENJOY BEING AROUND, I WOULD RATHER DIG DITCHES THAN PRACTICE LAW WITH PEOPLE THAT I DON'T KNOW AND LIKE AND RESPECT. WE ARE GOING TO PRACTICE LAW, I'M GOING TO SHOCK THE WORLD AND WRITE ANOTHER BOOK WITH TIM SCOTT. >> Martha: ABOUT? >> HOPEFULLY ABOUT HIM, HE'S A LOT MORE INTERESTING THAN I AM. BUT I THINK -- JIM WANTS TO ASK ME A BOOK ABOUT HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS. HOW TO ELICIT THE TRUTH WITH ASKING QUESTIONS, AND I WANT HIM TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT HIS LIFE AND HOW HIS UPBRINGING INFLUENCED HIS POLITICAL ORTHODOXY. TO ME AND I TAUGHT A CLASS AT CLEMSON FOR STUDENTS. HE'S GREAT, HE'S THE NICEST TEACHER IN THE WORLD AND I -- >> Martha: AM NOT? >> WELL, THESE ARE FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOCRATIC METHOD IS. I'VE GOT TO DIAL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT. AND BE A BETTER HUSBAND, A BETTER FATHER. BOTH OF OUR KIDS ARE AT HOME NOW AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE STARTING THEIR CAREERS. I THINK OUR DAUGHTER IS GOING TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, GOD SAVE US ALL IF THAT HAPPENS. MY SON FINISHED LAW SCHOOL, BUT HE IS GOING TO GO INTO REAL ESTATE. JUST BE A BETTER HUSBAND, A BETTER FATHER. I'VE GOT ONE-THIRD OF LIFE. >> Martha: YOU SAID ONCE A FEDERAL JUDGESHIP CHECKED ALL OF YOUR BOXES. IS THAT STILL TRUE? >> YES, MA'AM, IT DID. LINDSAY AND TIM PLAYED IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THEY SAID, WE HAVE TWO OPENINGS. DO YOU WANT TO? THE PERSON WHO KNOWS ME THE BEST IN LIFE, WHO ALSO DOESN'T FOLLOW POLITICS, IS MY WIFE. SHE SAID, YOU WILL BE LONELY, YOU LIKE BEING AROUND PEOPLE. YOU LIKE BEING AN ADVOCATE, AND I SAID THANKS BUT NO THANKS, AND THEN LINDSAY CALLED BACK AND SAID, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING? IT'S WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED, RIGHT HERE. AND THEN DON BEGAN CALLED, THE PRESIDENT'S FORMER LAWYER CALLED, AND HE SAID ARE YOU SUR? AND I SAID, NOT ONLY AM I SURE, I AM AT PEACE. THEY FILLED IT WITH A GUY I HAVE KNOWN FOR 25 YEARS WHO WILL BE A FANTASTIC JUDGE AND A BREAK FOR BOTH OF US. >> Martha: EVER RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN? >> NEVER. I WILL GET BACK INTO POLITICS IF TIM SCOTT RUNS FOR PRESIDENT, AND HE SAYS, LOOK I NEED YOU TO GO TO IOWA OR NEW HAMPSHIRE AND KNOCK ON DOORS, WHICH YOU PROBABLY WON'T BECAUSE I WOULD HURT HIM, BUT TO SUPPORT JOHN RADCLIFFE -- HE RAN FOR GOVERNOR OF TEXAS -- AND HE SAYS, COME HELP ME. I WOULD, BUT YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME ON THE BALLOT AGAIN. >> Martha: TREY GOWDY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ENJOYED HAVING YOU ON THE SHOW AND COVERING THESE STORIES WITH YOU, AND WE WISH
