Ex-Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) begins his new life at Fox News as a contributor.
On Wednesday night, he’ll appear on Special Report in the 6 p.m. hour to discuss the news of the day.
He’ll assume that role until he officially begins on July 1.
“In this role he will offer political analysis across FNC and FOX Business Network’s (FBN) daytime and primetime programming,” states a release.
In April, Chaffetz announced that he was not seeking reelection. In mid-May, the nation learned that he was not just not seeking reelection, but that he would be abruptly leaving Congress. He was chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. So seemingly a big deal. Before he came to Congress, Chaffetz was the campaign manager and chief of staff for Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. (R).
In late April, Jezebel laid out a whole bunch of hypotheticals why Chaffetz could be leaving Congress, including murder or having an affair. They explicitly stated they weren’t engaging in journalism, but rather, a “thought experiment.”
Chaffetz said he made the decision with his wife, Julie.
“As you know, after careful consideration and long discussion with my wife, Julie, we agree the time has come for us to move on from this part of our life,” he wrote in a letter to his constituents. “My life has undergone some big changes over the last 18 months. Those changes have been good. But as I celebrated my 50th birthday in March, the reality of spending more than 1,500 nights away from my family over eight years hit me harder than it had before.”
Hmmm…what congressman really leaves Congress to spend time with his family?
Apparently this one?
“I’ve slept on a cot in my office largely to save money for the Chaffetz family, but also to remind myself that my service there was temporary,” he continued. “Though the time away and the travel have been a sacrifice, our family has always been united that public service was the right thing to do. We feel my time in congress has been well spent, but it now seems the right time to turn the page.”
Shortly after he announced his resignation, rumors began swirling that he was moving to Fox News. There were reports that he told his colleagues that he was going to work for the network.
That move became official today.
