Former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) has been picked to serve as President Trump’s outside counsel in the House impeachment inquiry, the AP reports, citing an administration official. Gowdy announced last year that he would not seek re-election after serving as a South Carolina representative for eight years. He also chaired the House Oversight Committee and led the congressional investigation of former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton and the terrorist attacks in Benghazi. Earlier today, the White House sent a letter to the House of Representatives, writing that the Trump administration will not participate in what it calls an “illegitimate” impeachment inquiry. White House Counsel Pat Cipollone said in the letter that the inquiry has been processed in a “manner that violates fundamental fairness and constitutionally mandated due process” and “lacks any legitimate constitutional foundation.”