Chaffetz on leaving Congress: ‘At some point, you’ve got to get off this crazy train’

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) says he is retiring next month because “at some point, you’ve got to get off this crazy train.”

“There’s always somebody doing something stupid somewhere, there’s always plenty of things to investigate and look at,” Chaffetz told host Wolf Blitzer of CNN’s “Situation Room” on Wednesday. 

The House Oversight Committee chairman cited family reasons when he announced last week he would resign from his seat on June 30. 

“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,” Chaffetz said at the time, saying he’s spent “more than 1,500 nights away” from his family and that he “just didn’t want to do it anymore.”

{mosads}”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,” Chaffetz wrote in his resignation letter.

Chaffetz said on CNN that he always viewed his life in service as temporary.

“I haven’t felt any compulsion to talk about my post-congressional life. I always promised that I would get in, serve and get out,” Chaffetz said. “This is not supposed to be a lifetime appointment. I don’t want to get that Potomac fever and just get too caught up in myself or anything else.”

When asked about rumors that he will work for Fox News after he resigns, Chaffetz says he is “not here to talk about that yet.” 

The Washingtonian reported earlier this month that Chaffetz told fellow House Republicans that he will join the news network following his resignation. 

Chaffetz oversees a committee leading one of several congressional investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

A special election to fill his seat will take place after his departure.