Outgoing Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy expressed his ongoing confidence in the Justice Department and the special counsel despite "serious concerns with the FISA process."

The House Oversight chairman, who Wednesday announced he would retire at the end of his current term, also tweeted he remains "100 percent confident in special counsel Robert Mueller."

It is important for the American public to know if the dossier was paid for by another candidate, used in court pleadings, vetted before it was used, vetted after it was used, and whether all relevant facts were shared with the tribunal approving of the FISA application. — Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

While this memo raises serious concerns with the FISA process, I have been and remain confident in the overwhelming majority of the men and women serving at the FBI and DOJ. — Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

As I have said repeatedly, I also remain 100 percent confident in Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The contents of this memo do not - in any way - discredit his investigation. — Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

Gowdy was reacting to the memo released by the House Intelligence Committee that outlined what it called abuses of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications regarding surveillance on former campaign aide Carter Page.

Democrats, meanwhile, see the memo's release as a "charade" that will be used by President Donald Trump to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and oversees his work in the Russia investigation.

"The president is looking for a reason to fire Bob Mueller; the president is looking for a reason to fire Rod Rosenstein," House intel ranking Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff said. "The White House knows it would face a firestorm if it fired Bob Mueller. What's more effective is to fire Bob Mueller's boss. Now, why is that more effective? Rod Rosenstein decides the scope of Bob Mueller's investigation."