Posted on 12/06/21
| News Source: The Hill
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a key Donald Trump ally who was poised to be the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee if Republicans win back the House in 2022, said Monday he will resign at the end of this month to become CEO of Trump’s new media and technology company.
“Recently, I was presented with a new opportunity to fight for the most important issues I believe in. I’m writing to let you know I’ve decided to pursue this opportunity, and therefore I will be leaving the House of Representatives at the end of 2021. …” Nunes told constituents.
“Rest assured, I have not, by any means, given up our collective fight — I’ll just be pursuing it through other means.”
Nunes is slated to begin his new role in January as CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group or TMTG, which is billing itself as an alternative to Big Tech. Trump and conservatives have spent the past year railing against Silicon Valley social media and tech firms, whom they accuse of engaging in censorship and cancel culture.
“Congressman Devin Nunes is a fighter and a leader. He will make an excellent CEO of TMTG,” Trump said in a statement. “Devin understands that we must stop the liberal media and Big Tech from destroying the freedoms that make America great. America is ready for TRUTH Social and the end to censorship and political discrimination.”
In the same news release from TMTG, Nunes said: “The time has come to reopen the Internet and allow for the free flow of ideas and expression without censorship. The United States of America made the dream of the Internet a reality and it will be an American company that restores the dream.”
One GOP lawmaker reacted by saying: “I’m sure he will be making a lot of $$.”
A 10-term congressman, Nunes became a lightning rod during the Trump years when he was serving as the Intelligence Committee chairman. In April 2017, he was forced to recuse himself from his own panel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election the year before for revealing classified information.