Thread: Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida to Retire After Two Terms

Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida to Retire After Two Terms

Congressman joins a lengthy list of House Republicans who are leaving at the end of their terms or have resigned


Rep. Francis Rooney PHOTO: TOM WILLIAMS/ZUMA PRESS

By Natalie Andrews and
Alex Leary
Updated Oct. 19, 2019 2:19 pm ET

Florida Rep. Francis Rooney said he would retire at the end of his term, a day after he made comments critical of the Trump administration.

Mr. Rooney joins a lengthy list of House Republicans who are leaving Congress at the end of their terms or have resigned. His spokesman confirmed his resignation, which he also announced on Fox News.

Few Republicans have been openly critical of the president, and many have called Democrats’ investigation into President Trump’s effort to have Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, a witch hunt.

Mr. Rooney stepped out on Friday, expressing alarm after acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney laid out a “clear” quid pro quo when he said this week that the U.S. had withheld aid to Ukraine to probe a Democratic National Committee server related to the 2016 election.

Mr. Trump has also repeatedly denied there was any quid pro quo related to the aid. Late Thursday afternoon, Mr. Mulvaney issued a statement, reviewed by Mr. Trump, reversing his remarks and saying there was no connection between military aid to Ukraine and the 2016 election, but the comments upset Republican lawmakers.

“Whatever might have been gray and unclear before is certainly clear right now,” Mr. Rooney said on Friday on CNN. “That the actions were related to getting someone in the Ukraine to do these things. As you put on there, Senator Murkowski said it perfectly: We’re not to use political power and prestige for political gain.”

Mr. Rooney also wouldn’t say that he necessarily opposed impeachment, saying he wanted to get more details.

“I don’t think this is as much as Richard Nixon did,” said Mr. Rooney. “But I’m very mindful of the fact that back during Watergate everybody said it’s a witch hunt to get Nixon. Turns out it wasn’t a witch hunt but it was absolutely correct.”

Mr. Rooney’s southwestern Florida district is seen as safely conservative. The two-term congressman will likely be replaced by a Republican.

Before entering politics. Mr. Rooney was a major Republican donor. He served as the US. ambassador to the Holy See from 2005 until 2008. He was one of the richest members of Congress, having run Rooney Holdings, an investment and holding company based in Naples, Fla.Retiring Republicans or those out of office have been more critical of the president than those running for re-election.

Mr. Mulvaney’s comment also pushed John Kasich, a former Ohio governor who ran against Mr. Trump in 2016, to support the impeachment investigation.

“This is not a decision I’ve made lightly, but it’s clear now that a line was crossed,” Mr. Kasich posted on Twitter. “This is an abuse of power. Action must be taken.”

Retiring Illinois GOP Rep. John Shimkus also ended his support for Mr. Trump’s re-election this week, though he tied it to the president pulling U.S. troops out of Syria. Republicans have been critical of the move, though have largely maintained their support for the president overall.

“Pull my name off the ‘I support Donald Trump ’ list,’ ” he said he told an aide on Thursday in a KMOX radio interview. “We have just stabbed our allies in the back.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/republi...ms-11571507919

Retiring GOP Rep. John Shimkus won't support Trump after Syria pullout

So long Rooney!

YOU stab our troops in the back with these never ending wars!

Defend OUR border.

We are not the police of the world or need to get involved in their centuries of wars amongst each other! And keep their refugees OUT of here! There are BILLIONS of refugees on the planet. Bringing them here solves nothing but destroys our peace and our prosperity!