This GOP congressman just likened leaking to a 'crime.' Two years ago, he accidentally leaked classified information.

House Benghazi Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 20 March 2017

Two years ago, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) — the same man asking tough questions about leaks during the House Intelligence Committee's hearing Monday on Russian election meddling — inadvertently leaked some classified information himself. Back in 2015, when Gowdy was the chairman of the House committee investigating the 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, Gowdy accidentally revealed the name of a CIA source during a discussion with Democrats, Politico reported.

Gowdy's reveal was inadvertent, and occurred due to the State Department's failure to omit the CIA source's name from the email being discussed. But on Monday, while talking about the leaked phone transcripts that led to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's resignation, Gowdy suggested anyone who leaks classified information ought to be prosecuted. "Some of that may rise to a crime, some of it may not," Gowdy said. "The felonious release of classified material is definitely a crime."