Though most Democrats seemed to focus exclusively on Comey’s appearance, some of us never forgot the malicious role Chaffetz had played. Within a week, several complaints were filed against him with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE). That was why, on the eve of the first day of the 115th Congress, the all-republican Rules Committee tried to quietly do away with the OCE. The NY Times reported:

WASHINGTON — House Republicans, overriding their top leaders, voted on Monday to significantly curtail the power of an independent ethics office set up in 2008 in the aftermath of corruption scandals that sent three members of Congress to jail. The move to effectively kill the Office of Congressional Ethics was not made public until late Monday, when Representative Robert W. Goodlatte, Republican of Virginia and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that the House Republican Conference had approved the change. There was no advance notice or debate on the measure.

Due to an overwhelming outcry, they didn’t succeed. Desperate to escape the penalties for his ethics violations, Chaffetz scheduled his Oversight Committee to begin the new session by looking into ways of hamstringing the OCE. He at least managed to slow them down. We won’t know until an actual budget is written, but it’s probable that the republican House will attempt to severely restrict the OCE’s funding as soon as they can.

However, those measures can no longer help the beleaguered Chaffetz. Turns out his ethics violations expanded to fill his rather large capacity for wrongdoing.

What do Claude Taylor’s sources have to say? They should be well-placed to know what’s going on. After all, Claude worked on both of Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns plus eight years in Clinton’s White House. He’s now a travelling photographer with expanded contacts among journalists and those working in and around the Capitol Building.

So, tell us what you’ve heard.

x Latest from a well placed Congressional source is that @jasoninthehouse multi year affair with a woman was about to be revealed. https://t.co/Dg4hKCRtbZ Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

Now that’s not going to go down well in Utah, Jason, not to mention the grief you’ll be causing your wife, Julie.

Yet this isn’t reason enough to pre-announce your resignation, especially so early in a new congressional session. Other politicians have been caught in affairs and worse but have remained in their seats and even been re-elected. So what gives?

x Word is that he may resign his seat immediately. Folks, this ain't a family issue. https://t.co/rf8Uktlfan Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

Uh huh. We don’t believe this is a family issue either because that excuse just doesn’t align with the fact of his impending resignation let alone its unseemly haste.

x A Utah source now confirming that Chaffetz resignation expected as early as tomorrow. Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

The shorter the time between the announcement and actual resignation is inversely proportional to the seriousness of the crime, or in this case: sins and crimes. So what else are your sources telling you, Claude?

x A 2nd source is claiming that the Russians knew about Chaffetz's affair and were blackmailing him. https://t.co/Dg4hKCzRNp Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

Oh now that is not something either the FBI or your Utahan constituents are likely to overlook, Jason. Moreover you were warned. FBI Director Comey did say in an open House Intelligence Committee hearing, that he was investigating Russian ties to Trump and co. You should’ve realised that, having crossed Comey by publicizing and lying about his letter, he would take this opportunity to scrutinize you very closely. It appears you did not disappoint.

x A friend of Chaffetz at FBI told him the investigation could not be kept quiet for much longer, that Intel committee would soon find info on Ã¢ÂÂ Resistance DB (@davebernstein) April 20, 2017

The missing word at the end of the second tweet is “him”. It appears at the beginning of the following tweet which goes on to add: “Some of his current staffers may be implicated.” Was that why the former staffer (mentioned in the first of @daveberstein’s tweets) left Chaffetz’s employ?

Panic seems the appropriate mode for his office staff at this point, especially with the boss about to desert them so soon and under such scandalous circumstances.

***

To recap the alleged so far: Chaffetz has, for some time, been under investigation for campaign finance fraud and he’s been indulging in a long-time affair which allegedly the Russians have used to blackmail him.

The Russians call this kompromat. Translation: compromising material.

Whaaaat? Wait a cotton-pickin’ minute… what was it he was doing for the Russians? We haven’t covered that yet.

Chaffetz is alleged to received a $10 million “donation” from Trump the same day he leaked and lied about the Comey letter? If true, this is highly suspicious. Was it a pay-off or something else?

Now I do appreciate that many people here are dismissive of Louise Mensch but she has been proven right quite spectacularly — her revelations regarding FISA warrants relating to Trump and his associates have since been proven correct in reports now carried by mainstream media. She was certainly a week ahead of everyone else with regard to Chaffetz’s potential legal problems — check the date on this tweet:

x Sources say there is kompromat on @jasoninthehouse; that this is why he turned and that @fbi know it. #traitorinthehouse Ã¢ÂÂ Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) April 13, 2017

Time will tell for certain but the view from this present position favors her sources being reliable — of being right about the kompromat — and there’s a high probability she’s right about the money laundering too.

As Dr Dena Grayson notes, the laundering of Russian money does make a great deal of sense. Why? Because just a few days ago there was a lot of chatter about an audio tape the FBI took into evidence. This pre-election tape purports to be a recording of Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell discussing how best to wash Russian money through House and senate campaigns via dark money superPACs. Paul Ryan’s name has already been linked with the Russian hacking of voter data from swing states so money laundering on behalf of the Russians is not a big leap from there and would be entirely in character for both men. Certainly both were desperate to hold onto the power they knew was slipping through their fingers so both would have grabbed at any opportunity for big money assistance without caring much where it came from.

Mensch, a steadfast conservative, is confronting very uncomfortable revelations right now yet, in complete accord with the principles of the Resistance, she is nevertheless persisting and not excusing nor apologizing for corruption in the republican party. For example this tweet:

x Friend reminds re Russian money laundering for Ryan, Chaffetz and McConnell (and others) - if bank has a Wall St branch, NY AG jurisdiction Ã¢ÂÂ Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) April 20, 2017

Because if the bank has a Wall Street branch (and it probably does), then AG Schneiderman can lay state charges against these corrupt congressmen which means Trump will not be able to pardon his NY-indicted comrades-in-crime.

There will, of course, still be federal crimes to answer. Yet another on the charge sheet is very likely to be this:

x The election/collusion was the crime. Chaffetz/Nunes were part of the coverup. Also a crime. Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

...and this:

x Ethics Complaint Filed On Jason Chaffetz In October Now To Include Obstruction Of Justice & FraudÃ¢ÂÂRelating To #TrumpRussia Probe #russiagate pic.twitter.com/4xk3oAI52T Ã¢ÂÂ Scott Dworkin (@funder) April 20, 2017

Scott Dworkin knows this is true because he filed these complaints himself on behalf of the Democratic Coalition of which he is a co-founder. He would not take such an action lightly. Such complaints cannot be filed on the flimsy basis of mere rumor; they must be accompanied by substantial information and data.

So what is a felonious, about-to-be-ex-congressman to do — apart from vehemently denying any possibility of scandal?

That would explain his decision to resign. Any advice?

That’s very sound advice. I imagine his lawyers are already taking this line with him.

As for his own explanation, Chaffetz was pathetically disappointing. With a distinct lack of imagination and an overdose of predictability, he trotted out ye ole cliché —

[I]n an interview with Utah’s KSL talk radio Wednesday, he said his decision was motivated primarily by a desire to spend more time with his family.

Fortunately, Claude Taylor was available to make the necessary tongue-in-cheek correction —

x Whatever the circumstances behind @jasoninthehouse abrupt decision-it's clear he needed to spend more time with his lawyers. Ã¢ÂÂ Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) April 20, 2017

Ah yes, I expect he’ll be getting to know them very well indeed.