There goes another one

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) announced on Monday that he is resigning from Congress after being elected to his fifth term in 2018.

"After eight and a half years, the time has come for me to focus more on the reason we fight these battles — family," Duffy said in a Facebook post.

  The Hill

Like the many others, he sees the handwriting on the 2020 wall.

Duffy — who was first elected to represent Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District during the Tea Party wave in 2010 — said he will leave his seat on Sept. 23 after finding out his ninth child has a heart condition.

“Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition. With much prayer, I have decided that this is the right time for me to take a break from public service in order to be the support my wife, baby and family need right now. It is not an easy decision — because I truly love being your Congressman — but it is the right decision for my family, which is my first love and responsibility,” he said in his post.

Seiously, that's too bad. Good excuse, too.

There goes another one

Already embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal [for reportedly using $39,000 of taxpayer dollars to settle sexual harassment claims from a former aide] that forced him to withdraw from a reelection bid, Rep. Pat Meehan (R-PA) abruptly announced his resignation Friday.

“While I do believe I would be exonerated of any wrongdoing, I also did not want to put my staff through the rigors of an Ethics Committee investigation and believed it was best for them to have a head start on new employment rather than being caught up in an inquiry,” he said in a statement. “And since I have chosen to resign, the inquiry will not become a burden to taxpayers and committee staff.”

  TPM

So selfless.

He promised to pay back the money, though he refers to it as “severance,” denying any wrongdoing.

Blake Farenthold resigned when it was learned he used $84,000 of that fund, and he promised to pay it back, too (which he hasn't, and don't hold your breath).

I bet any congressman who's used the fund is sitting on pins and needles waiting to be outed.  That, along with the trouncing they're expecting in 2018 may be a factor in why so many are "retiring" this year.

I don't understand this.  There's a fund for this; why can't they use it?  There shouldn't be any such fund.