Trey Gowdy reveals FBI withheld 'potential game-changer' evidence from FISA court during Russia probe

Former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who chaired the House Intelligence Committee before retiring from Congress last year, revealed Sunday on Fox News that unreleased transcripts between former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and an FBI informant exist — and they have the "potential to be a game-changer."

What are the details?

Now that Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, Attorney General William Barr has indicated that he will investigate whether government officials "put their thumb on the scale" during the Russia investigation, particularly in its early stages.

Gowdy teased that perhaps there was wrongdoing because government officials withheld the transcripts, which he characterized as exculpatory evidence, when applying for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants against Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

"If the bureau is going to send an informant in, the informant is going to be wired. And if the bureau is monitoring telephone calls, there's going to be a transcript of that," Gowdy said.

"And some of us have been fortunate enough to know whether or not those transcripts exist, but they haven't been made public," he continued. "And I think one in particular is going — it has the potential to actually persuade people."

"Very little on this Russia probe, I'm afraid, is going to persuade people who hate Trump or who love Trump," Gowdy went on to say. "But there is some information in these transcripts that I think has the potential to be a game-changer if it's ever made public."

Trey Gowdy teases 'game changer' FBI transcriptwww.youtube.com

The former South Carolina lawmaker went on to echo Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), who has called for the public release of the evidence.

"You know, Johnny Ratcliffe is rightfully exercised over the obligations that the government has to tell the whole truth to a court when you are seeking permission to spy or do surveillance on an American," Gowdy said.

"And part of that includes the responsibility of providing exculpatory information or information that tends to show the person didn't do something wrong. If you have exculpatory information, and you don't share it with the court, that ain't good," he explained. "I have seen it. Johnny has seen it. I would love for your viewers to see it."