Last month, a former investigator for the committee, Brad Podliska, told CNN that he had been improperly fired from the committee. Podliska’s allegations that the investigation was “partisan” is particularly noteworthy because of his biography: He is a staunch Republican who currently serves in the Air Force, not some Clinton apologist. Nevertheless, Gowdy was quick to dismiss the charges as false, and countered by alleging that Podliska was fired in part for mishandling classified information.



That last part is where Gowdy may have run into some trouble. Mishandling classified information is a serious allegation, as Gowdy knows all to well after trying—and failing—to prove that Clinton is guilty of the same. Problem is, a staffer on Gowdy’s own committee has stated that Podliska did no such thing, and now Podliska is suing the committee and Gowdy himself for defamation.