The Latest: Chaffetz may not finish final term in Congress

[Cripplecreek]

SALT LAKE CITY — The Latest on Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz announcement that he won’t run for re-election next year. (all times local):

10:15 a.m.

Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz says he may not finish his final term in Congress.

Chaffetz told KSL Newsradio by text Thursday that he’s weighing his options and “might depart early.” He says the state of Utah needs to figure out how that would work.

Chaffetz announced Wednesday that he would not run for re-election next year for a sixth term in Congress. He was elected last year to a two-year term that started only four months ago.

Chaffetz wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Chaffetz has faced mounting criticism in recent months for declining to investigate President Donald Trump and likely would have faced a bruising primary and general election battle in 2018.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-latest-chaffetz-may-not-finish-final-term-in-congress/2017/04/20/99dc73ea-25e5-11e7-928e-3624539060e8_story.html?utm_term=.dc056e1578e2

Chaffetz may be out as soon as tomorrow accoring to twitter rumors and apparently Domain names indicating a presidential run are being snatched up as well.

[Fishrrman]

Sumthin's goin' on here we don't know about yet.

Why would this guy suddenly try to beat it back to obscurity?

[geronl]

Maybe he finally got the "offer" to sell his soul to the system and wants out

[Oceander]

And so the GOP majority slowly starts to leak away, seat by seat.

[Ghost Bear]

And so the GOP majority slowly starts to leak away, seat by seat.

I doubt Utah would elect a Democrat. Currently the House delegation from Utah consists of four Representatives, all Republican.  The two Senators are both Republican as well.

[Mom MD]

I am not a fan of elected officials not finishing out their term in the absence of a personal catastrophe.  The expense of a new election should be charged to any remaining funds in the individuals campaign account or to the national party.  These folks have made a commitment to the people who have elected them and the district or state they represent.  Any early departure should only be to extenuating circumstances, not inconvenience or running for another office.

[Frank Cannon]

Chaffetz has faced mounting criticism in recent months for declining to investigate President Donald Trump and likely would have faced a bruising primary and general election battle in 2018.

Bullshit. This has nothing to do with Donny. Nobody cares about Russia after the Rice stuff came out. This has something to do with some criminal activity on Chaffetz part. People do not jet out of this job like this on a whim.

[geronl]

I am not a fan of elected officials not finishing out their term in the absence of a personal catastrophe.  The expense of a new election should be charged to any remaining funds in the individuals campaign account or to the national party. 

the individual, state party and national party should share the costs, hey if the other party wants to be on the ballot they can chip in too. :)

[corbe]

Chaffetz has faced mounting criticism in recent months for declining to investigate President Donald Trump and likely would have faced a bruising primary and general election battle in 2018.

Bullshit. This has nothing to do with Donny. Nobody cares about Russia after the Rice stuff came out. This has something to do with some criminal activity on Chaffetz part. People do not jet out of this job like this on a whim.

   I agree  with @Frank Cannon and a few other posters above, being Mormon it's probably not a dead girls or live boys Video, but he's giving up a promising career for Family, who does that, legitimately in the 21st Century, in Politics?

[Frank Cannon]

   I agree  with @Frank Cannon and a few other posters above, being Mormon it's probably not a dead girls or live boys Video, but he's giving up a promising career for Family, who does that, legitimately in the 21st Century, in Politics?

It's worse than that. He is bailing EARLY on running an important committee. Just the amount of money that will need to be used for a special election. The whole thing is going to be a mess.

[montanajoe]

   I agree  with @Frank Cannon and a few other posters above, being Mormon it's probably not a dead girls or live boys Video, but he's giving up a promising career for Family, who does that, legitimately in the 21st Century, in Politics?

It could be something as simple as the Mormon Church giving him a mission call...a devout Mormon will put Church above political party...

[Frank Cannon]

It could be something as simple as the Mormon Church giving him a mission call...a devout Mormon will put Church above political party...

You might be right except he said in an interview today that he is shopping around for a TV gig....

“I started poking around to see what I might be worth and what sort of possibilities are there,” Chaffetz said in a phone interview with POLITICO Thursday afternoon. “And I got a series of ‘Let us know when you’re serious.’ Well now I can say, ‘Can you tell I am serious?’… I’ll take a little bit of time to sort out. I’d be thrilled to have a television relationship. But there’s a number of things I’d like to do.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/20/jason-chaffetz-utah-retire-scandal-237423?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article

Not really a "Mormon Mission" type of thing to be a CNN talking head.

[montanajoe]

....

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/20/jason-chaffetz-utah-retire-scandal-237423?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article

Not really a "Mormon Mission" type of thing to be a CNN talking head.

Hmmm curious indeed..

[Fishrrman]

montana joe wrote:
"It could be something as simple as the Mormon Church giving him a mission call.."

Young Mormons are generally "called" to missionary work at ages 19-21. Rare to see someone over 30 doing missionary work (notwithstanding older retired couples in some situations)...

[montanajoe]

montana joe wrote:
"It could be something as simple as the Mormon Church giving him a mission call.."

Young Mormons are generally "called" to missionary work at ages 19-21. Rare to see someone over 30 doing missionary work (notwithstanding older retired couples in some situations)...

@Fisherman

I meant a church calling...something like a mission president overseas..although I lived in Utah for nearly 30 years and married into a Mormon family and have an ex brother in law who gave up his career for a calling in the hierarchy of the Church, never quite figured all the terminology out..