Posted on 06/30/2017 5:14:36 PM PDT by digger48
Now former Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Jason Chaffetz shocked many when he abruptly announced he’d be quitting Congress before the end of his term.
In a recent interview, Chaffetz insisted his decision was personal, that he was disappointed by the state of politics, and that he and his wife made the decision together for personal reasons. Chaffetz alluded to living on a tight budget, but only this week did he confirm money played a role in the decision-making process.
Congressmen make $170,000 a year. Chaffetz called it a “handsome salary” but not enough to maintain two separate households, not when one is in the most expensive city in the country.
Part of the ‘Couch Caucus’, Chaffetz was one of many Congressional members who slept on cots or couches in their offices rather than spring for separate housing.
Chaffetz told Fox News Wednesday night:
“I mean, look, we’re paid a very handsome salary, but our home is in Utah. I didn’t move to Washington, D.C. I sleep in a cot in my office,” Chaffetz, R-Utah, said on Fox News Wednesday night.
“And faced with another 100 to 200 nights a year where my wife’s by herself in Utah and I’m in a cot in Washington, D.C. – as nice as the salary is — I can’t afford to have two places and have a quality of life I’d like to have at this point,” he said, adding that serving in Congress is a “rich man’s game.”
Before his departure, Chaffetz called for a $2,500 legislature stipend to assist those who could not afford two households. From The Hill:
Just days before he resigns from Congress, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said Monday that House and Senate lawmakers should receive a $2,500 per month housing allowance — something he explained would help ease housing costs for members who can’t afford two mortgages or rents.
“I really do believe Congress would be much better served if there was a housing allowance for members of Congress,” Chaffetz told The Hill in an interview in his Capitol office, where he sleeps whenever he’s in Washington. “In today’s climate, nobody’s going to suggest or vote for a pay raise. But you shouldn’t have to be among the wealthiest of Americans to serve properly in Congress.”
Wednesday, Chaffetz announced he’s signed a contract with Fox News where he’ll be working as a contributor:
Fox News Channel (FNC) has signed soon-to-be former Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) to a contributor role.
He will offer political analysis across FNC and Fox Business Network’s (FBN) daytime and primetime programming, starting on July 1st.
Prior to joining FNC, Chaffetz represented Utah’s Third Congressional District beginning in November 2008. In May, he announced that he would resign from Congress effective June 30th.
During his time as congressman, he served as the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and was a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also served on the Homeland Security Committee.
Chaffetz had an integral role in many government investigations, including the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal, the Benghazi terrorist attack, the IRS targeting scandal and the Secret Service investigation.
Prior to running for Congress in 2008, Chaffetz worked as campaign manager and chief of staff to former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. (R).
Before his political career, Chaffetz worked in the local business community for 16 years, specializing in corporate communications work and later owning his own communications firm, Maxtera Utah Inc.
I just finished reading the salaries of the White House Staff....so he’s got a point when it comes to living in Washington..expensive hardly says enough.
He mentioned quality of life....and I would say he’s right about that too.
Make CONgre$$ part time.
You should be sleeping on a cot in prison, looter.
ESAD Chaffetz.
Slimed useless Los joins Faux News
Amazon has a show called Alpha House based on Congress. Several powerful players share a home because of expense.
There is a way to deal with expenses. Share a place. Rent a small apartment.
Give up some of the benefits (like be put on the same healthcare as the rest of us) and maybe they could get a housing allowance.
Does he get to go home with his new FOX gig? Or does it pay more than $170K?
Well, it depends on your household expenses and budget.
Does his wife works? How much is his mortgage in Utah? How many kids does he have? What’s the deal with saving for college for them, saving for retirement?
He’s got to be taking home 10 to 11 grand a month, after taxes. I would really like to know where he spends his money.
Then you have to know what he expects? Does he expect a luxury apartment and finds he can’t afford that? Does he expect to live alone as opposed to having roommates? Some congressmen have other congressmen as roommates.
Yes wash dc is expensive but I would want to know how he spends money to see why he can’t make ends meet.
And I doubt that he has been sleeping on a cot, in his office, ALL of this time. Sounds more like he has a mistress in D.C., the wifey is NOT happy, has demanded lots of stuff and won't be living in Utah any longer.
And just WHY did he run for re-election, only to quite in the blink of an eye...hmmmmmmm?
F Chavetz, and all "politicians". Congress was never supposed to be a full-time job, much less a career.
I’m not a Chaffetz fan but he is right about this. It is best for Congressmen to live in their districts and not become full-time Washingtonians. But DC is very expensive and the costs of two households are staggering. They need a housing stipend, but a modest one lest they get too comfortable there.
So, how much does the Fox gig pay? Do they have studios in Utah? And what else might he have going?
Though I can understand his disaffection with politics: always being in someone else’s pocket.
That’s one of the things I like about President Trump. AFAIK, he doesn’t owe the sycophants in Washington anything.
WTF???????? Chaffetz you are a pile of what my dog poops out of his backside!!!!!!!!!!
Cannot get link. 504 gateway time-out, just me?
Well, just do what the other crooks do. Pass laws that benefit rich people and then ask for donations. He’s a quitter but I can’t say I blame him. Nothing gets done in Washington to help people and if that’s truly why you went there it’s entirely likely that you’d feel you made a huge mistake. He may be a good, honest guy. Can’t have those in Washington
FReepers musta broke it.
I can’t get the site to pull up from by desktop now either
now it worked for me.
It still doesn't address the issue of having to live away from your family, but Congress isn't in session that many days during the year.
Trump was himself and that’s how he got elected. While everyone else was saying, look at me I’m an average guy who knows how to pump his own gas Trump was saying, why the heck would I pump my own gas, I’m Rich! I’ll take a real person any day of the week
Thanks!
Since none of these items resulted in anyone being held responsible, I would say that Chaffetz is very ineffective. If he had a communications business, maybe he specialized in BS, not in results.
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