Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) abruptly announced his resignation from Congress Friday, following what he called a “nightmarish” past month. The move caps two rough years of his own unforced errors for the 10-year congressman.
McCotter briefly ran a long-shot bid for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, but dropped out after two and a half months. In the past two months, he learned that signature fraud by his own House campaign’s workers had forced him off the ballot in his House re-election bid. A raunchy sitcom pilot written by McCotter was revealed this week, drawing widespread mockery.
“The recent event’s totality of calumnies, indignities and deceits have weighed most heavily upon my family,” McCotter said in a statement Friday. “Thus, acutely aware one cannot rebuild their hearth of home amongst the ruins of their U.S. House office, for the sake of my loved ones I must ‘strike another match, go start anew’ by embracing the promotion back from public servant to sovereign citizen.”
The full statement:
McCotter: “Strike Another Match, Go Start Anew”
Cites the totality of this past ‘nightmarish’ month and a half’s effect on his family
LIVONIA, MI – Today, U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter made the following statement:
“Today I have resigned from the office of United States Representative for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District.
After nearly 26 years in elected office, this past nightmarish month and a half have, for the first time, severed the necessary harmony between the needs of my constituency and of my family. As this harmony is required to serve, its absence requires I leave.
The recent event’s totality of calumnies, indignities and deceits have weighed most heavily upon my family. Thus, acutely aware one cannot rebuild their hearth of home amongst the ruins of their U.S. House office, for the sake of my loved ones I must “strike another match, go start anew” by embracing the promotion back from public servant to sovereign citizen.
I do not leave for an existing job and face diminishing prospects (and am both unwilling and ill-suited to lobby), my priorities are twofold: find gainful employment to help provide for my family; and continue to assist, in any way they see fit, the Michigan Attorney General’s earnest and thorough investigation, which I requested, into the 2012 petition filing.
While our family takes this step into the rest of our lives, we do so with the ultimate confidence in our country’s future. True, as at other times in the life of our nation, we live in an Age of Extremes that prizes intensity over sanity; rhetoric over reality; and destruction over creation. But this too shall pass, thanks to the infinite, inspired wisdom of the sovereign people who, with God’s continued blessings, will again affirm for the generations American Exceptionalism.
Truly, it is a challenging and fortunate time to live in our blessed sanctuary of liberty.
In closing, to The People of Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, I can but say this: Thank you for the privilege of having worked for you.”
~ Thaddeus G. McCotterPlease note the Washington D.C., Milford and Livonia will offices will continue to operate under the direction of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Staff will still be available to serve the needs of the citizens of the 11th Congressional District for any constituent needs.
Finally, Mr. McCotter reaffirms his previous commitment to not conduct any interviews until the findings of the Michigan Attorney General’s thorough and earnest investigation have been made public. As a private citizen, Mr. McCotter will reserve comments until this time.
