Newly announced Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz, who steps down as a Utah congressman Friday, said he also has an agreement to write a book and plans to work as a consultant for technology firms in Washington, D. C.
SALT LAKE CITY — Newly announced Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz, who steps down as a Utah congressman Friday, said he also has an agreement to write a book and plans to work as a consultant for technology firms in Washington, D. C.
“I’ll have a very busy schedule, but one much more palatable to the lifestyle I want to lead, ” Chaffetz told the Deseret News Wednesday, describing his role with the cable news channel that starts Saturday as part time.
He said his decision to leave six months into a two-year term that ends in 2018 was made in late March primarily to spend more time with his family, but also because of frustration over the gridlock that remains in Washington despite GOP control.
“We’re not getting the things done I signed up to do, ” Chaffetz said, because of inaction by both the GOP-controlled House and Senate. “Replacing Obamacare should have been done six months ago. Tax reform is still delayed.”
It’s not the fault of President Donald Trump, also a Republican, Chaffetz said.
“The president’s been very engaging, very hopeful, very supportive. I don’t know how much more you can ask for from a president, ” he said, putting the blame on the House and Senate along with their Republican leadership.
“It got to a point where it was so sour that I thought it would be better to let somebody else have a shot at it and then move on to the next phase of my life, ” Chaffetz said.
He announced in April he would not run for re-election in 2018, and later said he would step down June 30 for what he described as a position in the private sector, long believed to be at Fox News.
“They have the biggest audience. It allows me to continue to have a vibrant voice on national issues while still doing lots of other things, ” Chaffetz said of the deal announced Wednesday by the cable channel.
He did not disclose the terms of the deal other than it prohibits him from appearing on other TV networks or cable channels. Chaffetz said once he decided to resign, he talked to Fox News and other TV outlets in April, including CNN and MSNBC.
Now, instead of sleeping on a cot in his congressional office, Chaffetz said he expects to travel to New York or Washington just once a month for a few days and make most of his appearances as a contributor from Utah.
“It really doesn’t matter as much where I am as long as I can get to a television camera, ” he said, and speak to millions of viewers. “If you thought I was on television a lot before, look out.”
Although there had been rumors Chaffetz would be hosting his own show on Fox News, especially since the forced departure earlier this year of the cable channel’s star, Bill O’Reilly, his role is part time.
“Perhaps something like that happens down the road. But I’m not ready to do that yet. That’s a whole new skill set, ” Chaffetz said of having his own show. “I’d love to progress there if it works for both sides. We’ll have to see where it goes.”
Chaffetz said he’s come to “verbal terms” on a book deal and has started writing but declined to talk about the subject. He said he in the process of filing the paperwork creating Chaffetz Consultants to represent IT firms in Washington.
In a release about his new role, Fox News cited investigations into the Obama administration Chaffetz led as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Chaffetz, in his fifth term, was a staple on Fox News during former President Barack Obama’s time in office, commenting on the deadly attacks on a U. S. embassy in Benghazi and other issues.
A special election is underway to fill the seat that represents parts of Salt Lake and Utah counties, as well as Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan and Wasatch counties this November.
