Jason Chaffetz blasts Congress for leaving the Capitol early and no one misses the irony

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Fox Business)

published 7 August 2017

Former House Oversight Committee Chairman and early exit expert Jason Chaffetz pointed a finger at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, blasting the Kentucky senator's decision not to cancel August recess. “It's infuriating," Chaffetz, a former Republican congressman for Utah, told his colleagues. "Mitch McConnell went out in July and touted that the Senate was going to stay in session through the end of next week. And yet, they adjourned early."

Chaffetz might know a thing or two about ghosting on legislative duties, considering he abruptly retired at the end of June to join Fox News. As Mediaite put it without missing any of the irony: "Jason Chaffetz, who bailed early from Congress, rips Congress for bailing early."

Chaffetz, at least, didn't seem too self-conscious about his criticism. He added: "When you have 12 legislative days on the calendar going through September, and you have to go through the long list you just highlighted, how do you go home? […] The budget was supposed to be done in March. Do you know of any company anywhere in the world where if you didn't have your budget done and you're in August and it was due in March, that you'd say, 'Well, let's go take a few weeks off?'" Watch below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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