Trump lawyer's own words show why stonewalling is an abuse of power: Ex-Whitewater counsel

On Tuesday's edition of CNN's "OutFront," Whitewater Associate Independent Counsel Kim Wehle pointed out the irony of former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) joining President Donald Trump's anti-impeachment legal defense: His own words as a congressman make a clear case against Trump's abuse of power.

"Trey Gowdy sided the with the president on getting rid of Jeff Sessions, and he led Benghazi, and ... he's been on Fox News a lot, as well, recently," said anchor Erin Burnett. "But Trey Gowdy is not the kind of person who was always just a sycophant. Not at all. Here he is in 2012, they were talking about whether to hold A.G. Holder in contempt on Fast and Furious. The Justice Department refused to hand over some documents and here's what Trey Gowdy said."

"The notion that you can withhold information and documents from Congress, no matter whether you're the party in power or not in power, is wrong," said Gowdy forcefully in the clip. "Respect for the rule of law must mean something, irrespective of the vicissitudes of political cycles."

"So, Kim, do you think he just doesn't feel that way anymore?" asked Burnett.

"I think he made the case for why the White House's letter attempting to stonewall Congress, not completely and not just to specific issues, is flat-out wrong constitutionally," said Wehle. "It will be interesting to see if he ends up the Rudy Giuliani of the Ukraine situation, and that is, most lawyers in practice would be defending or attempting to defend this on the merits and that is on the facts ... we don't see that in the letter."

"Given the kind of evidence that's out there, out of the president's own mouth, that could be difficult, and he could be coming onboard to act as the spin person that will put out the message that the entire thing is unconstitutional, even though it's in the Constitution, given how things work with Mr. Trump, and the loyalty that he expects, and the message he expects, consistent with devotion to him and fidelity to him versus the rule of law and the Constitution," said Wehle. "I don't expect Mr. Gowdy to function as a traditional lawyer might."

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