Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on Wednesday said that he won’t seek another term in 2018 because he “hopes to find the right balance” and is sick of sleeping in his office.
“I really, really like the work in Congress, I really do, but I love my family more. People may try to make it more than that, but it’s really that simple,” Chaffetz said on MSNBC. “I just turned 50. I’m sleeping on a cot in my office.”
Chaffetz announced on Wednesday that he “will not be a candidate for any office in 2018.”
“I have made a personal decision to return to the private sector,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“Have you spoken to Speaker Ryan about it?” Greta Van Susteren asked, referring to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).
“I did. I called him last night and he said, ‘boy, I didn’t see that coming.’ And then he said, ‘please don’t do that yet,'” Chaffetz said. “And I said, well, I didn’t call to ask permission. I just called to inform you.”
Chaffetz said that he is hoping to “find the right balance” in his life.
“I’m just saying I’m not going to be a candidate for the Senate seat that’s up in 2018 nor am I going to run for the House again, but I very well may come back into politics at some point,” he said. “I’m not going to close the door on that.”
In an interview with the Deseret News in January 2016, Chaffetz hinted at possible future plans, saying that he “would take a serious, serious look at running for governor.”
Ummmm, not to question Rep. Chaffetz’s sincerity, but…
Anyone else expecting another shoe to drop?
Gotta be honest here. I do not like Chaffetz, I think he is a weasel…but…there is absolutely nothing unreasonable with his rationale for leaving Congress. While I say “good riddance” I also can’t blame the guy.
“I just turned 50. I’m sleeping on a cot in my office.”
Oh please. A lot of ex-veterans in their 60s are sleeping on the pavement in winter cause they can’t afford to have a roof over their heads; thanks to bad luck and folks JUST LIKE YOU.
“I just turned 50. I’m sleeping on a cot in my office.” And everybody hates me, now.
“Have you spoken to Speaker Ryan about it?” Greta Van Susteren asked, referring to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).
“I did. I called him last night and he said, ‘boy, I didn’t see that coming.’ And then he said, ‘please don’t do that yet,’” Chaffetz said. “And I said, well, I didn’t call to ask permission. I just called to inform you.”
Burn. Wonder if that’ll be enough to get Ryan to dump this idiot out of the chairmanship?