Top NRA Ally, One Of Congress' Most Corrupt Members, Bob Goodlatte, Announces Retirement

A real scumbag and crook  is leaving Congress

There were several Republican members of Congress who unexpectedly announced their retirements just before the results from Virginia and New Jersey confirmed what Republicans have been fearing, namely that an anti-Trump/anti-GOP is building and by 2018 will be strong enough to sweep dozens and dozens of Republicans out of Congress. Heavy duty committee and subcommittee chairmen have been bailing, most recent being 3 Texas extremists, House Financial Services Committee powerhouse Jeb Hensarling, House Science and Technology Committee crackpot Lamar Smith and House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade chairman Ted Poe. Everyone who cares about America should be glad to see them go. And Thursday they were joined by the first post-Virginia debacle retiree, House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte. In his statement he said now "is a natural stepping-off point." He's represented Virginia's 6th district since 1993.

VA-06 is the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. right down the 81 from Strasburg through Harrisonburg to Roanoke and crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains to take in Lynchburg (Liberty University). Obama, who won Virginia both times he ran, lost the 6th district each time-- with 42% against McCain and slightly worse against Romney. Hillary did even worse, losing to Trump 59.7% to 34.9%.

The district's PVI went from R+12 in 2015 to R+13 this year and it's considered extremely safe, even after the debacle Tuesday. Goodlatte probably had more to fear from a GOP extremist priwmarying him that from a Democrat. Nonetheless, before his announcement there were two Democrats vying for the nomination to take him on, Peter Volosin, who you might say tends towards progressive ideas, and Sergio Coppola, a conservative, who wants to repeal Obamacare, ban abortion, fight for the NRA, etc. His own issues page sounds more like a Republican than a Democrat. CNN reported after the announcement that "Andy Parker, whose daughter Alison was killed on live television during a news report two years ago... was considering running for the seat." On Tuesday, Alison's boyfriend, Chris Hurst, beat a Republican incumbent to win a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Parker had pressed Goodlatte to hold a hearing on legislation to reduce gun violence in the months after Alison was killed. He called out the congressman on TV and in op-eds for being in the "pocket of the NRA."

"It's good for the country that he's leaving office," Parker said.

He's right about Goodlatte being in the pocket of the NRA. Gun lobbyists have given him $107,850 and so far this cycle, they've given him the 5th biggest amount of any member of the House. Last cycle Goodlatte spent $1,990,781 and ended the cycle with $765,336 on hand. He was notoriously corrupt as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and accepted $2,198,781 in bribes from AgriBusiness. The only current members of the House who have taken bigger AgriBusiness bribes than Goodlatte are Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA), Mike Conway (R-TX), David Valadao (R-CA) Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Jeff Denham (R-CA). Aside from being one of Congress' most corrupt bribe-takers-- or perhaps because of that-- Goodlatte tried neutering the Office of Congressional Ethics. Even Trump opposed his ploy and it failed.

Two right-wing Republicans immediately jumped into the race, Delegate Benjamin Cline of Rockbridge, formerly Goodlatte's chief of staff, and Cynthia Dunbar, a Republican national committeewoman. They're both typical, crazy Republicans who just repeat whatever Limbaugh or Hannity says.

How many more before we can start calling the retirements a "flood?" Yesterday, The Hill tepidly offered that "the stampede for the exits could continue." Why not spit it out-- not "could"-- but "surely will."

Republicans said more retirement announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks. The other veteran GOP chairmen who are facing term limits and could retire are Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX).

Another long-serving Texas Republican, powerful Rules Chairman Pete Sessions, isn’t facing term limits but represents a congressional district that’s trending blue.

Sessions is on Democrats’ retirement watch list, as well as Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), former Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), former Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY), and Reps. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Patrick Meehan (R-PA) and Bruce Poliquin (R-ME).

After Tuesday’s landslide in Virginia, buzz around the Capitol centered on vulnerable GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock, who represents affluent Northern Virginia suburbs just outside of Washington, D.C. In addition to electing Ralph Northam as governor, Democrats took back seven GOP-held state delegate seats that overlap Comstock’s sprawling district, the Washington Post reported.

GOP lawmakers are also closely watching former Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), who nearly lost his seat to Democrat Doug Applegate last year, and former Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), who was forced to relinquish his gavel two years ago due to term limits but stuck around.

Some of those seats are prohibitively red-- but some will certainly fall to Democrats. Whether Issa retires or not, it's likely that Doug Applegate will be the next congressman from CA-49. Barbara Comstock is likely to lose her seat in 2018. If DuWayne Gregory runs against Peter King again, King will be saying goodbye to Congress. Daylin Leach will likely be replacing Pat Meehan in the Philly suburbs. Bruce Poliquin isn't likely to be reelected if Jared Golden is the ME-02 candidate. It's almost inconceivable that Ed Royce could be re-elected unless Pelosi and the DCCC force an "ex"-Republican lottery winner from another district into the nomination. Fred Upton managed to beat Paul Clements last year and in 2014; he won't in 2018. Lillian Salerno would clobber Pete Sessions in the northern Dallas Metro if she's the nominee. And in New Jersey, Lance and Frelinghuysen are unlikely to be able to withstand vigorous Democratic challenges.