NORTH CHARLESTON — Like most members of Congress, Trey Gowdy was a frequent flier during the eight years he represented the Upstate of South Carolina.

On all those trips to and from Washington, D.C., he said, he never requested privileges or a police escort, even though the conservative lawmaker knew he had detractors, as well as enemies from his days as a prosecutor.

No reserved parking spot. No curbside escort. No special processing through security checkpoints.

Like most of South Carolina’s current members of Congress, he passed through the airport the same way as anyone else: parking far from the terminal, lugging a suitcase through snaking lines and passing through body scanners without any shoes on his feet.

Gowdy, who faced occasional threats, said he never felt the need to ask

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