California Rep. Devin Nunes leaving Congress to lead Trump social media group

LOS ANGELES — Rep. Devin Nunes, a controversial congressman from California’s San Joaquin Valley, is leaving Congress to lead a social media company created by former President Donald Trump.

“I will deeply miss being your congressman,” Nunes said in a message to his constituents.

Shortly after he sent the note, the Trump Media & Technology Group announced that Nunes would be its chief executive office beginning in January.

“The time has come to reopen the Internet and allow for the free flow of ideas and expression without censorship,” Nunes said in a statement. “I’m humbled and honored President Trump has asked me to lead the mission … ”

Republican Rep. Devin Nunes plans to leave Congress by the end of the year to serve as a CEO for former President Trump's media company. https://t.co/rdZF2CyVkJ pic.twitter.com/vPQTuSJaE5

— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) December 6, 2021

Sitting members of Congress face significant restrictions on negotiating private sector jobs while still in Congress. However, the rule is widely disobeyed.

The former dairy farmer’s retirement comes in the midst of the every-decade redrawing of congressional districts and as California loses a member of Congress for the first time in its history. Under draft maps released earlier this year, Nunes would have faced a tough reelection in in the 2022 midterms.

If he ran and was successful, Nunes was poised to become chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee if Republicans took the majority in 2022.

Nunes, 48, has served in Congress since 2003. As the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee during the first impeachment of Trump, Nunes positioned himself as a key ally and defender of the former president.

He drew headlines for several lawsuits he filed in an attempt to squelch criticism.

Two year ago, Nunes famously sued Twitter over parody accounts named Devin Nunes’ Cow and Devin Nunes’ Mom as well as a Democratic strategist. He said the accounts defamed him and his reputation, costing him political support in his 2018 reelection. These suits were unsuccessful.

Nunes’ retirement will provide a small but immediate boost to House Democrats: As soon as Nunes leaves office and while his seat is vacant, Democratic leadership will have a bit more breathing room in their slim majority.

He is the second member of the California congressional delegation to announce his retirement. Rep. Jackie Speier, a San Francisco Bay Area Democrat, announced she would not seek reelection last month.