Praising U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement of a special prosecutor to investigate Republican complaints in the FBI and DOJ, two House GOP leaders called the move a "step in the right direction," The Hill reported.
Reps. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., and Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the chairmen of the House Oversight and Judiciary committees, issued a statement still calling for a special counsel. Sessions passed the special counsel buck to Utah prosecutor John Huber, who will rule on whether one is necessary as he probes potential FISA abuses and mishandling of investigations into Hillary Clinton's Uranium One deal.
"While we continue to believe the appointment of a second special counsel is necessary, this is a step in the right direction," Gowdy and Goodlatte's joint statement read, per the Hill. "We expect that U.S. Attorney Huber, given his reputation, will conduct an independent and thorough investigation.
"Such an investigation is critical to restoring the reputation of both the Bureau and DOJ in the eyes of the American people."
Gowdy and Goodlatte were responding to Sessions' letter Thursday, which declined to appoint a special counsel but revealed Huber's work as a prosecutor.