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.
Didn’t know about the threats. They have to know they are going to have to live with a certain amount of risk...but if his were ratcheted up then yes...it could very well factor into it.
Just look at Scalise..
I always marvel at Prosecutors who take on the Mafia. Mueller’s new guy took down a Mob Boss that had been the boss for 20 years. Imagine what kinds of threats he might have had against him!
They are only in session 138 days now
wash dc is expensive
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I lived there rent free, free food too.
We had room in our barracks for a few congressmen.
Tomorrow’s Joe Scarborough today
However, he's spot on about the finances of being a Utah office holder having to live in expensive DC while maintaining a home for his family back home in the West.
While his salary sounds enormous to many of us peons, after taxes the net earnings goes way down.
None of our electees should be forced to sleep on cots in their DC offices but a lot of them have to. Some kind of cost-of-living arrangements or other solutions should be worked out for those reps and senators whose families don't live in the Beltway.
And yes, he'll be getting a lot more per year from Fox. He needs it.
He has a wife and three children in Utah...and expenses there plus any college tuitions or whatever figure large in a salary supporting both his DC and Utah housing and living expenses.
He's still a relatively young man and I don't blame him a bit for grabbing at a chance to become a successful TV analyst, and I wish him well. "Follow your dream in America".....I would do the same as he.
We may be pleasantly surprised when his gig at Fox begins.
Leni
Leni
I heard similar words out of the mouth of Morning Joe, but I would hope that we freepers are above that.
Leni
Oh come off it, Leni; he’s GARBAGE...a grasping, money grubbing, do nothing, little turd in a pouch bowl filled to the brim with larger turds!
Especially if his home state household is moderately upscale.
The guy could be basically honest and didn't want to make up the difference the way most of the others do.
Seems a stretch now days, but could be the truth.
Post # 45....."Chaffetz is GARBAGE, a grasping money grabber, do-nothing little turd in a punch bowl filled to the brim with larger turds".
Nice tone tonight on FR.
Leni
Hold one. This guy defeats an otherwise rock solid conservative incumbent by getting gullible GOP primary voters to believe he's the "anti-amnesty" alternate, and then AFTER he becomes a nationally known political "celebrity" by winning the highest legislative office in the country, he flip-flops on the ONE issue that got him that office in the first place... and now he's gonna CRY about NOT earning enough money in the aforementioned ultra-powerful cushy federal office he got under FALSE pretenses???
Words fail me. Well, this is one. If I met Jon Huntsman's former chief of staff in person (that's Jason Chaffetz), an "F--- you, Jason" would be appropriate.
Hold on. This guy defeats an otherwise rock solid conservative incumbent by getting gullible GOP primary voters to believe he's the "anti-amnesty" alternate, and then AFTER he becomes a nationally known political "celebrity" by winning the highest legislative office in the country, he flip-flops on the ONE issue that got him that office in the first place... and now he's gonna CRY about NOT earning enough money in the aforementioned ultra-powerful cushy federal office he got under FALSE pretenses???
Words fail me. Well, there is one. If I met Jon Huntsman's former chief of staff in person (that's Jason Chaffetz), an "F--- you, Jason" would be appropriate.
Didn’t know Jason was Jon Huntsman’s former staffer. Maybe Jon’s daughter, who’s on F&F, got Jason the Fix gig.
Gag.
Chaffetz is a RINO, and a preening, money hungry, nasty little man.
Yep. He's also a former son-in-law of Kitty Dukakis, and got his start in politics in college as the Utah co-chairman of Michael Dukakis’ presidential campaign. He remains close to the Dukakis family to this day.
There were a lot of red flags about this guy. We should have vetted him better. At the time, he pretty much won exclusively by being the "not Chris Cannon" candidate.
I also have his past and present ratings for a half-dozen or more other national conservative rating organizations and he's among the highest in those, also.
The vitriol against him on this thread is astonishing...such hatred and vile comments from a couple of the above posters.
I will judge him when he begins his gig at Fox. He may be a welcome asset to our side on that network.
I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference and we'll see how everything shakes out later.
Leni
But...to each his own tone.
Good night...
Leni
si
Would you prefer my calling him a pustulant boil, bile filled vomit, or a scaberous chancre ?
Toad, suits him to a T !
OK then raise yearly pay to $225K. However limit Senate to two terms and House as 3 terms with both set for lifetime limits. No Retirement pay. Serve and Leave.
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