Citing health issues, Jason Chaffetz takes immediate leave from Congress

[dixiegrrrrl]

According to CNN:
Chaffetz to miss 3-4 weeks for surgery

He made the announcement on Instagram, saying the surgery was to remove hardware that had been inserted into his foot after an accident 12 years ago.
"My recovery is expected to take three to four weeks," the Utah Republican said. "I'm sorry to miss the important work we are doing in Washington. This is not an opportune time to be away but medical emergencies are never convenient. I appreciate my constituents' patience and understanding as I take time to recover."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/politics/jason-chaffetz-surgery/index.html

OK, guys.....who is gonna hold the bets here????

I say he does not return...who is with me???

I also think there is campaign money fraud, involving Russians, and woman issues.

just to refresh memories:

April 20th:

Absolutely, Positively Not: Chaffetz Says Hes Not Leaving Congress Due to an Impending Scandal
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028958088

[Lucinda]

1. Curiouser and curiouser!

[L. Coyote]

45. Didn't trump give Chaffetz $10 million a few hours before releasing the Comey letter?

And the money may have come from Russia? So, if Chaffetz quits now, how much of that money can he keep?

Link to tweet

[Lucinda]

71. I really should have started a spread sheet

It's almost impossible to keep up with all of the shady deals...

[L. Coyote]

75. Never too late for a great idea. We need it to keep up.

How much Russian money flowed to the Republicans this cycle?

Walker $1million
Rubio $1 million
McConnell $4 million
....

[Amaryllis]

102. Really on McConnell? We all knew it but where are you finding specifics like that? I missed it...

[L. Coyote]

103. Oversight Dems posts this stuff on Twitter:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Amaryllis]

109. Wow. THanks. It has been evident from his behavior for a long time now, but I totally missed this.

[malaise]

2. Oops - bye bye

Funny that he said Flynn committed a crime before departing. Something is up.

[Pachamama]

129. Would be nice too if as a parting gift he would order up a few more aggressive

....inquiries in the investigations that need to be done...

My gut tells me he is not coming back, this surgery is a convenient excuse and he is being blackmailed and knows it's wrong what he has done and by leaving, the power if the blackmail isn't as powerful and he might be later be given more lenient judgment if he shows some courage and real patriotism and actually upholding his oath to uphold that constitution.

Here's to hoping he gives us a nice parting gift that would be hard for another compromised Republican who takes his place to reverse without a lot of public scrutiny.

[malaise]

130. He won't give up anythingu

unless it will lesson his sentence

Truth will out!

[Goodheart]

3. And just to make sure we're suitably convinced of the immediate seriousness of his problem

he includes his x-rays as evidence!

Sorry, Jason, the pictures don't prove your integrity but only add to your fishiness. Immediate distrust is the consequence of your constant perfidy.

[LOL Lib]

4. Medical emergency for hardware in foot?

That's the biggest load of manure to come out of ChaffedNutz' mouth in quite some time. Unless his foot has gangrene, I'm pretty sure this procedure is not an emergency. He is trying to slip out the back door to avoid something.

[Luciferous]

6. Yep I would think that if it's been there for 12 years it could have waited a little longer.

Sounds like he's getting out before the shit hits the fan.

[LOL Lib]

12. I just thought of another reason.

Perhaps the kompromat that we have been told exists regarding chaffetz is that he has an opioid addiction. He could be using the "foot hardware problem" as an excuse for his opioid use.

Disclaimer: The above is total conjecture on my part and I have no proof.

[Warpy]

53. Well, no, he could have twisted it and dislodged something

but that's really unlikely after 12 years. Sometimes internal fixation hardware has to be removed or revised but it sounds just a little too convenient to me.

Still, it's a leave, not an outright resignation, even though resignation rumors have been flying for the past week. It will be interesting to watch, anyway.

Pop some more corn, it's going to be a long two years.

[womanofthehills]

64. Especially since last week he said he would be leaving early to spend time with his wife

and that it had nothing to do with his health.

[Blue_Roses]

133. That's right!

I remember him saying that and not one word about emergency surgery. Hmmmm....

[dixiegrrrrl]

107. A leave means his paycheck and insurance continues.

which may or may not be that big of a deal to him.

but, since everybody in the country by now knew he was planning to skedaddle, he is fooling no one.

[Leith]

14. I Know, Right?

Hasn't he ever heard of wheelchairs? He wouldn't be the first or last member of Congress wheeled around the Capitol and do his job. Is that the best excuse he could come up with?

You're right. Something is definitely up with him.

[LOL Lib]

15. Maybe he should put off buying a new iPhone and get a jazzy powerchair instead?.

[George II]

36. Maybe this:

[LOL Lib]

51. Lol I hope someone on twitter sends him that pic.

It's perfect!

[OncoRN]

78. Too true

Fucker, wants to bash welfare recipients but can't work through a simple orthopedic surgery. Come on, it's not like you do a job where you're on your feet for 8 hours. Sorry excuse.

[HeiressofBickworth]

60. Oooooh Jason, you little Snowflake

Buck up. A few years ago, I broke my foot, had a cast up to my knee and still managed to go to Disneyland IN A WHEELCHAIR and even went on most of the rides! Surely, with all the amenities of Congress, you might be able to get to work and do your job from a wheelchair. Lots of people do it on a permanent basis yet you are whining about being laid up for a few weeks. Ask Tammy Duckworth for some tips; she manages beautifully!

........ unless you want to share your REAL reason for going into hiding.

[womanofthehills]

17. Even if he had foot surgery, a week later he would be on crutches

or could be in a wheelchair. First he was quitting because he needed to spend more time with his wife.

[LOL Lib]

19. Yes!

He acts like he is having a major organ transplant or something. Sorry JasonInTheHospital, we aren't buying it.

[rusty fender]

42. LOL LOL

JssonInTheHospital

[LOL Lib]

52. I prefer JasonInTheBigHouse...

We can hope!

[rusty fender]

54. That would be preferable

[onenote]

86. He says he's coming back after the May recess

Which effectively starts May 5, the week after his surgery.

[lastlib]

39. He shot himself in it.....

I'll bet on it.

[LOL Lib]

48. Haha! Very clever!

[snort]

56. Is Russian time lapse hardware in foot, comrade.

[Skittles]

74. this sounds like complete bullshit

and him posting xrays really smacks of desperation

[mzteaze]

84. Exactly!

If you are going to lie, don't provide more details (or an x-rays) than necessary.

So last week it was, I need family time, my wife is perfect (hint affair), I'm running for governor of Utah in 2020 or President in 2028 and this wasn't because of a scandal.

This week, uh, well, I got serious health problems and got to go now. By the way, I'm so honest, here are my x-rays and a really detailed reason why I have to go now.... But I'll be back!

[TNNurse]

96. This old ortho nurse

is pretty sure that this is rarely an emergency and it is not something that should keep him from work if he really wanted to be there. I am sure there is handicapped access all over the Capitol if needs crutches/walker or wheelchair during his recovery.

This weasel is running and hiding.

[LOL Lib]

97. Thank You!!!

I'm in TN too!

[underpants]

101. Thank you. Yes they have those wheelie things now

and the Capital is ADA compliant

[BumRushDaShow]

108. Tammy Duckworth

'Nuff said.

[Big_K]

116. Bravo!

[angrychair]

125. Truly

Nuff said

[davsand]

115. "I want to spend more time with family" has been done already.

Removing hardware from my foot" is new and fresh.




Laura

[uponit7771]

7. Didn't Feinstein have heart surgery then return to duties like the night after?!

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Somewhere I have a dim memory of that..

very dim, tho.

This guy, tho, thinks his bs will fly. That is the same poor judgment which got him into this mess in the first place.

[Snarkoleptic]

13. She had important Trump/Russia work to do.

These guys are trying to save their skin.

[LeftInTX]

72. Pacemaker in January 2017

[Mr. Ected]

8. What's about to happen?

Like Nunes, this is aberrant behavior foreshadowing an event known to Chaffetz. The timing is not a coincidence and the gravity must be enormous for him to take this measure at this time.

[Justice]

24. exactly right

[uponit7771]

26. +1, like we're supposed to think foot surgery puts someone out for a month

[dixiegrrrrl]

34. I am hoping the timing foreshadows a portent. n/t

[Snarkoleptic]

9. Taking a leave to spend more time with his

legal team, in a somewhat late bid to inoculate himself from the Putin contagion.

Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship, he's an early adopter of the "running from D.C." tactic, in advance of the scandal tidal wave. #TrumpRussia

[Silent3]

16. I thought you were going to say, "Taking leave to spend more time with his...

...remaining limbs."

[Glimmer of Hope]

22. Yes and looking for a private sector job that will pay for his legal team.

[dalton99a]

11. Bullshit.

[wildeyed]

18. Something must be coming down the pike.

This is just bizarre behavior. He is leaving immediately to get hardware remove that has been in his foot for 12 years? Please....

[Justice]

20. His hand still works to sign subpoenas

[irisblue]

21. RrrrrrIiiiiGgggggHhhhhhTttttt

[chillfactor]

23. when I see confirmation elsewhere...

only then will I believe it.

[LOL Lib]

25. New twitter handle...JasonInTheHospital

[Tanuki]

27. Aw, shucks, he won't be in DC on May 8 when Sally Yates testifies!

I'm sure he wouldn't want to be out of the picture at such an interesting moment.....

[yardwork]

28. I wonder if he'll have to leave the country for surgery?

[Mr. Ected]

29. Wasn't it Palmer Report or Louise Mensch...

...that said last week that JC might drop out of Congress sometime this week? This may be his ham-handed compromise; giving himself a month to gauge his political (and legal) vulnerability.

[dixiegrrrrl]

37. Palmer for sure, probably Mensch also. n/t

[womanofthehills]

57. Mensch tweeted that the Russians had kompromat on Chaffetz

Claude Taylor? @TrueFactsStated

Claude Taylor Retweeted Louise Mensch
A 2nd source is claiming that the Russians knew about Chaffetz's affair and were blackmailing him.

Louise Mensch?Verified account @LouiseMensch

Louise Mensch Retweeted Claude Taylor
Claude has very reliable info. My sources say however that Chaffetz kompromat is Russian money laundering.

[George II]

30. He looked VERY healthy during his press conference with Elijah Cummings yesterday!

Maybe he came down with Russian Flu overnight?

[womanofthehills]

62. Bill Palmer said that when Chaffetz announced last week that he would not seek reelection

Chaffetz said THAT HE HAD NO HEALTH ISSUES.

[Backwoodsrider]

31. Chafetz might like a future as gov of Utah

But knows he must run from Trump and the DC GOP before the circus hits the wall. He doesn't want any of the Trump family Russia BS to splash on his white skin so he is running away like some others who got a peak in the door at the coups d'état Trump and Putin tried to pull

[LakeArenal]

32. Wouldn't that be a pre-existing condition?

OH Yeah, he's still covered.

[Volaris]

69. Lucky thing, that...

[sarcasmo]

33. My wife is gonna kill me, is that covered under health care?

[LuvLoogie]

35. He's flipping and they are debriefing him. Instead of twenty to life he'll do five or ten.

Just sayin'

[Mr. Ected]

38. Ooh, I like that one

It explains his announcement last week...it explains him throwing Flynn under the bus yesterday. ..it explains his lame excuse for needing to get out of Dodge today.

Hmmm.

[Maine-i-acs]

40. Health issues: his ass is grass

And he can hear lawnmowers coming.

[Shrike47]

41. Look at the x-ray. That surgery will be ugly and extremely painful.

I don't like the guy but that's going to hurt.

[stage left]

46. Who says that's his x ray? nt

[uponit7771]

93. +1, I'm in a situation now where ... NOTHING ... that a set of people say can be considered the trut

[Amaryllis]

131. Rachel has said so many times, watch what they do, not what they say. couple nights ago, she

said, "What they say isn't worth the paper it's printed on."

[pnwmom]

55. Why would there suddenly be a risk of infection? I have a relative with a knee

full of hardware, but no one's talking about taking it out.

And what happens when they remove all those screws? Isn't it in there because it needs to be?

[SticksnStones]

82. I had a metal plate and a bunch of screws installed to fix a broken ankle

this past September. Doctor said at the time that some people -like athletes or avid ski-ers, for example (didn't note congressmen) - have the hardware removed at a later date...that was presented as an option, any time.

So my guess is he brainstormed for some excuse to fade out of Washington, remembered the removable hardware in the ankle and PRESTO! A plausible excuse is born!

[pnwmom]

89. Oh, okay -- thanks. And i think you're right about his sudden need for this. n/t

[notdarkyet]

63. I had a friend die a day after foot surgery. She was 42.

[OldRedneck]

43. No problem . . .

Obamacare will pay for the surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[riversedge]

67. Yes, ObamaCare will care for Jason in the House

[Tatiana]

44. Someone check and see if he has an itinerary to South America....

What a load of BS...

I can't wait till someone nails his smarmy behind.

[DarthDem]

47. Wait, Is This Schmuck Resigning Early or Not??

Utterly confused by this doosh.

[Kingofalldems]

49. Didn't Mensch predict this?

[womanofthehills]

61. Mensch and Bill Palmer were right about Jason - Here is Palmer's latest tonight

Jason Chaffetz leaves Congress, blaming a foot problem: is he stuck between Russia and the FBI?

Jason Chaffetz now says that he’s immediately taking leave from Congress due to a problem with his foot. Considering the controversial roller coaster of events surrounding Chaffetz over the past two weeks, this is not particularly plausible. Sure, he’s having the foot surgery. But it’s for a twelve year old injury (CNN), and he’s using it as a timely excuse to bail. It may be that he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place, the rock being Russia and the hard place being the FBI.

Consider the sequence of events here. Twelve days ago, intelligence community sources began asserting that the FBI was looking into Jason Chaffetz being blackmailed by Russia (link). Then suddenly, five days ago, Chaffetz announced out of nowhere that he won’t be running for reelection, even though he’s just three months into his current term. He also said he’s seeking private sector jobs, and that he may not finish his current term. Then, immediately after his announcement, one of his own former staffers asserted that Chaffetz illegally took Russian money and that the FBI caught him (link).

Then yesterday, when Congress was back in session for the first time since any of the above events, Jason Chaffetz was suddenly using his chairmanship of the House Oversight Committee to go hard after Michael Flynn in a manner which made Donald Trump’s White House look like it’s trying to cover up the Russia scandal. And now today, after Chaffetz spent just one day actively investigating Trump-Russia, suddenly he’s taking a prolonged leave from Congress to address an old issue with his foot – even though he just got done saying that HE HAD NO HEALTH ISSUES when he announced that he won’t seek reelection.

So let’s say Chaffetz has long been preventing his House Oversight Committee from doing any serious investigating into the Trump-Russia scandal, because Russia has been blackmailing him into not pursuing it. Further, let’s say that the FBI is now forcing Chaffetz to allow his committee’s investigation to properly move forward, by threatening to prosecute him if he keeps obstructing. And let’s say that Russia really didn’t like seeing Chaffetz on television cameras yesterday, going after Flynn and Trump, and the Kremlin threatened to release the blackmail material it’s holding on him if he keeps going.

https://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/jason-chaffetz-leaves-congress-blaming-a-foot-problem-is-he-stuck-between-russia-and-the-fbi/2466/

[R B Garr]

65. Good reminder. Someone has him figured out. n/t

[Wounded Bear]

50. "Hardware" in his foot?

Probably fillings from his teeth.

[still_one]

58. "to remove hardware that had been inserted into his foot". Hmm, I guess

it takes time to remove the foot out of one's mouth

[JI7]

59. I DON'T wish this scumbag well

[AgadorSparticus]

66. Yep. He is SICK TO HIS STOMACH on what is about to happen to him.

[MFM008]

68. Brain surgery?

Is needed.

[Laffy Kat]

70. Having hardware removed is common and routine.

If anything, he may need crutches at most. Makes no sense.

[onenote]

87. What doesn't make sense?

Not surprising that he'd take a week off to have the surgery and recover. Then Congress is effectively in recess for around ten days. He says he'll be back after that.

A lot of speculation here, which is fine. But I won't be surprised if he is back in mid May.

[angrychair]

126. Having a pin removed is very minor

You can be back walking and normal the same day. It is only an "emergency" in extreme situations. The riming seems very awkward...

[Wednesdays]

91. How does that square with post #41?

[JudyM]

94. And not time-sensitive, unless there's something that's gone wrong with it, unlikely.

[Blue_Roses]

134. Exactly

nt

[LeftInTX]

73. Do congresscritters announce upcoming foot surgeries?

Usually they take a week off, no one notices, and then they show up on crutches or something.

[OnDoutside]

77. Ironic that he uses private healthcare to get his foot done

before he loses it. Didn't anyone tell him he could go to the prison hospital ?

[DFW]

79. I wonder what calendar he is using?

Maybe some oddball Republicanese calendar where a week lasts 200 days?

[democratisphere]

80. Chaffetz might have cancer if he is having hardware removed from

previous surgery 12 years ago.

[SticksnStones]

83. And he's keeping that quiet so the void is filled with guessing his guilty crimes?

What's the strategy in that? No...I don't think it's cancer. Cancer would garner sympathy and support and give him a softer exit.

God, I can't believe I've gotten this cynical ~

[dixiegrrrrl]

120. Slightly off topic, but to share a weird thing I learned about injuries..

Mr. Dixie has a long time damaged foot, and occasionally he will develop a sore on it, usually near the skin graft area.
So in Dec. he got a sore, which is what he calls, actually it was an ulcer, but it did not heal from his usual treatment.
I happened to mention it to my surgeon, who promptly called Mr. dixie into the room and looked at his foot.
He ordered a biopsy, because, he said, sometimes unhealed ulcers develop a non-invasive cancer, and he thought the ulcer looked suspicious, esp. since it had not healed like it should.
so..did the biopsy, no cancer, but worth it for peace of mind.
Had no clue about ulcer cancer, but do trust this doc.

It is actually within realm of possibility that all that hardware in the x-rays might could develop a skin issue, where the foot meets hard shoe/ground.
but, in Chaffetz case, he has ZERO credibility, so who knows?

[Buckeyeblue]

81. Does he still get paid?

Or does he have to go on short term disability?

[wishstar]

92. I'm sure he has paid sick leave until he is officially no longer a Congressman

This may be his way of using up his accrued sick leave before he resigns. Federal employees often use up several weeks of sick leave for medical appointments and procedures before they officially retire, otherwise they lose the benefit of the paid sick leave.

[BumRushDaShow]

113. Unused fed sick leave gets converted into work days for retirement pay calculation.

So if you have 6 months worth accumulated, the sick leave time (as hours converted to months) gets added to the total number of months/years you worked for estimating the monthly retirement check.

Unused annual leave (vacation time) is paid out in a lump sum upon retirement.

[PA Democrat]

85. He is getting his surgery done while he still has HEALTH INSURANCE that we pay for!

I'll bet the urgency is FINANCIAL rather then MEDICAL. He knows his days on the taxpayers' dime are numbered. What dirty little secrets are you hiding Chaffetz?

[Vinca]

88. This is very, very weird. Something is going on besides "medical emergencies."

Dead boy or live girl? Russia? This should be interesting.

[madokie]

90. The little dirty bastard

is running scared is what he's doing.

As he should be

[flamingdem]

95. He put his foot in it

Nice try Chaffetz, you are dirty, not just your foot and it's "hardware" = listening device for Putin?

[MelissaB]

98. Cummings says he asked @jasoninthehouse to have Flynn testify before their committee, and Chaffetz s

Cummings says he asked @jasoninthehouse to have Flynn testify before their committee, and Chaffetz said NO.

Link to tweet

[Botany]

99. Lock him up

n/t

[GoCubsGo]

100. Well, the uncontrollable shitting of one's pants COULD be a medical issue.

And, the stench is probably making everyone around him sick.

I'm glad popcorn is on sale this week at the grocery store. We're going to need to stock up on a lot of it.

[perdita9]

104. Wheelchair? Leave of absence?

A problem with your foot can be painful but, if you're in a position of power and have an important job to do there are plenty of ways to work around it.

Has anyone seen Chaffetz limping?

[L. Coyote]

105. Just following in Trump's footsteps, Trump took leave from serving in military for fake foot problem

This is ever sooo fishy, 3-4 weeks for a foot surgery. What, he can't read or use the phone?

Maybe he can't walk for a while, but that shouldn't stop him from investigating #TrumpRussia,

Maybe he's not enjoying the work as much as he did Benghazi?

[dixiegrrrrl]

112. Speaking of Flynn:

He is now being investigated by Dept of Defense, House Oversight Cmte, House Intel Cmte, Army, Senate Intel Cmte.

Let's hope some of the Comm. members have intergrity.

With Chaffetz gone from House Oversight Comm., maybe there is a chance for justice.

[bucolic_frolic]

106. Chaffetz is avoiding something in a very extreme way. Republicans disabled by foot issues ....

like bone spurs more than any other American group

Anyone else would be back at work in 3 days, without complications

Man! Chaffetz is avoiding something politically painful

He's young, robust, no way this should be a major health issue

Hernia's would be back in a day or two

[IronLionZion]

110. Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you

what a smug unrepentant asshole

[herding cats]

111. Chaffetz sucks up some premium healthcare paid for by taxpayers, while avoiding doing his job.

There fixed that.

[bucolic_frolic]

114. Chaffetz Executes the Mark Sanford Model of Political Houdini

I've been disappeared! No harm to my career if I'm not there!

[More_Cowbell]

117. I'm having that same surgery in a month; doc said I'll "walk out of there."

...to remove 3 screws that were inserted 5 months ago. My doctor told me I'll "walk out of there." They're not even giving me crutches! I wasn't even out for 3-4 weeks when I had them put *IN*, though I did work from home during that time. I certainly could have had someone drive me around to vote on serious issues, if I'd had to. And the surgery to take them out is much less serious.

[keepthemhonestO]

118. I am

totally with you on every point! Not coming back! Woman issues (cheating scandal) and Russia. Bahhaaaaa .great minds think alike.

[jehop61]

119. Gee

I had to have hardware removed from an accident several years ago. It was outpatient and I spent about a week on crutches at work

[BigmanPigman]

121. Sounds like he's pulling a Bill-O

a convenient excuse.

[JDC]

122. Why didn't he do this over recess? We know why

It's bs

[red dog 1]

123. Aw, that means one less vote for the GOP's new healthcare bill

"U.S. Republican leaders hunt for votes for new helathcare bill"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141762190

[GliderGuider]

124. "I'm leaving because I want to spend more time with my lawyers." nt

[madaboutharry]

127. "I could be at risk for a serious infection" is not an emergency.

He is full of shit. He is running away from Washington. And he's scared.

[djg21]

128. It's hard to operate on a foot . . .

That's in a mouth that's on a head that's up an ass.

[rpannier]

132. He's sick of Trump?

I know that's what is making me ill