So what's Chaffetz's end game here?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

Do you think he'd rather want to be dealing with a far less erratic and even keeled President Pence and is looking to grease the wheels that way?

Or is he still proclaiming loyalty to the Madman while attempting to maintain a veneer of independence?

I can't figure him out, but certainly he's up to no good.

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. Lying is standard operating procedure for these assholes . . .

I think all of them speaking to the media are in panic mode and aren't really thinking about what they are saying, they're just doing what comes naturally to them. I don't think they really have an end game at this point.

[Freethinker65]

2. His end game is $$$$$ for government lands. He does not give a shit about this

[procon]

3. Republicans can't afford to lose the presidency because it would be a blatent

admission that their entire brand is an utter failure and they are totally incompetent and unable to govern.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Sadly, short of extra-Constitutional redo elections being declared.....

....they're pretty much set through 2020.

Right now, the best we can do is tie them to the horrific fiasco that is Donald Trump and the residual stink he leaves.

[procon]

13. Right. Maybe they won't be able to do as much damage if they're constantly

fighting legal challenges to their policies, or trying to control the mushrooming Russian scandals. Everyday they get hit by bad news stories, by national protests and angry voters, and sinking polls, is a day closer to ending this nightmare.

[radical noodle]

4. He would much prefer Pence

They're birds of a feather. Still he doesn't want to lose the Trumpster's voters. 'Tis a puzzlement.

[DFW]

6. I think Chaffetz wouldn't mind being VP under President Pence

Wouldn't mind at all, he wouldn't.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. Hello, Frank Underwood......nt

[DFW]

9. That exact scenario

Although, I'm sure he'd be willing to wait until 2020 before throwing Pence into the cement mixer.

[Wellstone ruled]

18. You might be close on this.

Guessing he will take Orin Hatch's spot. There is a pecking order in Utah GOP party. Little Jason has been working at taking out his Senior Competition. Out side of Jon Huntsman,he field is clear,the former AG in Utah is about to go to Prison for Campaign Finance issues and this was Jason's real Competitor.

[dem4decades]

8. Time to start asking if he is compromised.

Start spreading the rumor, just might be true.

[putitinD]

15. I bet he has his own scandals to worry about! Chaffetz is as dirty as they come.

[Adrahil]

10. Power, by securing one-party rule.

The GOP is systematically creating the conditions to establish one party rule, despite being the political minority.

They've successfully used the Southern Strategy to get working class white to abandon their own economic interests through a systematic strategy of establishing resentment for the poor, racial, and religious minorities. They've leveraged talk radio to expand that strategy nationwide, especially to the Midwest.

They systematically gained control over local and state governments, which they used to gerrymander congressional districts and pass laws to suppress the vote.

I think he thinks that the GOP is now just about beyond the reach of the electorate, and he will not want to incur the wrath of Hair Fuhrer.

We believed (or least I did) that could maintain control of the Presidency as a bulwark against creeping fascism, but their efforts have been too successful. We MAY be able to to survive this and counterattack in 2018, but I think even a GOOD year for us leaves the GOP in control of at least the house, and probably both the House and Senate.

We need to attack. Now and and constantly. We must run candidates for every office aggressively, and without apology.

[gratuitous]

11. Hunker down and hope it all blows over

It's always worked in the past. This whole thing with Russia goes back months, including that dedicated server in Trump Tower to a Russian bank (Remember that? A lot of people apparently hope you don't). Every time, any inconvenient story about the relationship between Donald Trump and Russia simply goes away after a day or two. Why should this time be any different?

We'll soon see if that's a winning strategy.

[Pathwalker]

12. I'm not sure, but I think I heard Andrea M. say he's planning emergency

hearings on...Hillary Clinton next week. So, maybe he's just too busy beating that dead horse to do his actual job.

[world wide wally]

14. The "emergency" being Trump is getting exposed as a traitor

Actually, Chafetz is such a zealot, I think he may have his hand in this Russian thing too. At least as far as trying to protect Trump and his minions

[dem4decades]

16. Maybe they got to him after the Secret Service

Leaked his not getting hired

[LonePirate]

17. He does not want to upset 45 who might unleash the deplorables to force a primary loss.

It's all about maintaining his power.