Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL), who infamously declined to attend any impeachment hearings until he was called out for it on CNN, told supporters on Tuesday that he will not run for reelection in 2020.
“It’s time for a new representative to take over the helm guiding our nation into the future,” the Florida Republican wrote in a letter, pointing to his campaign promise to serve only four terms.
Yoho, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, drew attention in October when he told CNN anchor Poppy Harlow that he hadn’t gone to any of the impeachment hearings, even as Republicans were complaining about the hearings being held behind closed doors. In fact, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s testimony was underway as Yoho, who called the impeachment inquiry a “sideshow,” was speaking to Harlow.
“I understand you have other important responsibilities, but respectfully, congressman, as glad as I am that you’re on this show, you don’t need to be on this show,” the CNN anchor said. “You could be in there deposing Lt. Col. Vindman.”
The Republican lawmaker said he’d attend the hearing “as soon as I’m off the air.”
Brian Kaveney, Yoho’s spokesperson, confirmed in a phone call with TPM that the congressman attended Vindman’s hearing and others after his appearance on CNN.
“But his thoughts didn’t change on it,” Kaveney added.
another repube profile in courage AND patriotism
Perhaps he can retire to a country with less of the democracy he finds so distasteful.
Let me take a shot at this. I happen to know this asshole Yoho. He was a class or two ahead of me at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He was dumb then as he is now. When he graduated he started a large animal practice just south of Micanopy called Kanapaha Veterinary Services. He didn’t make squat at it. I believe his income came from two shabby rental properties he had ( I think from his daddy ). The area is largely uneducated back woods red necks. He’s a natural there. So when an opening for a House seat came up he took a shot at it. Went from chump change to 174K the easy way. He spent his first 4 years crafting or co-crafting ACA repeals when that was a safe thing to do. No way he did that in Trump’s first two years because Trump would sign it into law. Since then he’s occupied himself by acting a fool on TV and keeping a seat warm. And low and behold! Just when he can walk and get a check for life from “big government” he opts out. He never did a damn thing for his constituency. Maybe put a Confederate Flag on his truck or outfitted it with TrucNutz but he didn’t do a damn thing for them. And they kept him in that 174K none the less. He’ll be replaced with another cretin wingnut.
I hear North Korea is lovely this time of year. Or if he likes heat an humidity a nice south Asian country may be more to his liking.
ETA: if he likes living on a peninsula then maybe Crimea is the place to be.
“BREAKING: Florida Man Accidentally Serves Constituents By Retiring.”