Jason Chaffetz facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Jason Chaffetz
Official portrait, 2009

Chair of the House Oversight Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – June 13, 2017
Preceded by	Darrell Issa
Succeeded by	Trey Gowdy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 3rd district
In office January 3, 2009 – June 30, 2017
Preceded by	Chris Cannon
Succeeded by	John Curtis

Personal details
Born	(1967-03-26) March 26, 1967 (age 58) Los Gatos, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (before 1990) Republican (1990–present)
Spouse	Julie Johnson (m. 1991)
Children	3
Relatives	John Dukakis (half-brother)
Education	Brigham Young University (BA)
Signature

Jason E. Chaffetz (born March 26, 1967) is an American politician who used to be a U.S. Representative. He represented Utah's 3rd district from 2009 until he left office in 2017. From 2015 to 2017, he was in charge of the House Oversight Committee.

Chaffetz became well-known in 2015 for looking into things related to Hillary Clinton. Before the 2016 election, he first said he would not support Donald Trump. But then, three weeks later, he said he would vote for him. After the election, some people criticized Chaffetz. They felt he should have looked into possible conflicts of interest involving President Trump.

He left his job in 2017, partway through his fifth term in Congress. Since then, he has worked as a commentator and author. He also contributes to Fox News. In 2021, Chaffetz joined the Government Accountability Institute.

Early Life and Education

Jason Chaffetz was born in Los Gatos, California. He grew up in California, Arizona, and Colorado. His father, John A. Chaffetz, was a businessman. His mother, Margaret "Peggy" A. Wood, later joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also ran a photography business.

Chaffetz's father was Jewish. His grandfather, Maxwell Chaffetz, was an FBI Special Agent. Jason Chaffetz's half-brother, John Dukakis, was adopted by Michael Dukakis. Michael Dukakis later became the Governor of Massachusetts. When Chaffetz was in college, he helped with Michael Dukakis's 1988 presidential campaign in Utah. Chaffetz is still close with his half-brother and the Dukakis family.

Chaffetz went to high school in California and Colorado. He then went to Brigham Young University on a sports scholarship. He was the starting placekicker for the Brigham Young University football team in 1988 and 1989. He still holds some school records for extra points in football games. In 1989, he earned a degree in communications.

Chaffetz was raised Jewish but joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during college. In 1991, he married Julie Johnson. After college, he worked in public relations for about ten years at a company called Nu Skin.

Early Political Career

Chaffetz became a Republican after meeting Ronald Reagan in 1990. Reagan visited Nu Skin, where Chaffetz worked, as a speaker. Chaffetz's political views had already been changing before this meeting.

In 2004, Chaffetz managed the campaign for Utah's governor, Jon Huntsman. Huntsman won, and Chaffetz became his chief of staff in 2005. In 2005, Chaffetz started his own company, Maxtera Utah Inc., which focused on communications and marketing. He also served as a trustee for Utah Valley University.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008 Election for Congress

In 2007, Jason Chaffetz announced he would run for Congress. He wanted to challenge the current Republican representative, Chris Cannon, in Utah's 3rd District. Chaffetz ran his campaign differently. He had no paid staff or office. He promised to spend very little money.

Chaffetz said that Cannon had not followed conservative ideas enough. He wanted to focus on careful spending, limited government, and a strong national defense. He also pushed for stronger rules on immigration.

At the Republican convention in May 2008, Chaffetz won 59% of the votes from delegates. This meant he would face Cannon in a primary election. On June 24, 2008, Chaffetz beat Cannon with 60% of the votes. This was a surprise victory because Cannon had a lot of support from important Republican leaders.

In the general election, Chaffetz ran against Democrat Bennion Spencer. Chaffetz won with 66% of the votes. He had mostly secured his seat when he won the Republican nomination. This district is very Republican.

When he started his term in 2009, Chaffetz announced he would sleep on a cot in his office in Washington, D.C.. He said he wanted to save money for his family and show that Congress should also be careful with spending.

2010 and 2012 Elections

In 2010, Chaffetz won his second term in Congress. He received 72% of the votes. In 2012, he won his third term with 76% of the votes. This election was not very competitive, and Chaffetz was expected to win easily.

2014 and 2016 Elections

Chaffetz won his fourth term in 2014 with about 72% of the votes. In 2016, he won his fifth term, getting about 74% of the votes.

Committee Work

Chaffetz was a member of several important committees in the House of Representatives:

Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (He was the chairman of this committee.)
- Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy
- Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations (He was the chairman of this subcommittee.)
- Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform

Leading the Oversight Committee

In November 2014, Chaffetz became the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He was one of only a few members of Congress to become a full chairman so early in his career. He promised to focus on making government better and fixing problems.

Town Hall Protests in 2017

In February 2017, Chaffetz faced protests at a meeting with his constituents. People asked him tough questions about his political views and whether he would hold President Trump accountable. Chaffetz later said the protesters were paid, but he had no proof. This made many attendees angry.

Resignation in 2017

On April 19, 2017, Chaffetz suddenly announced he would not run for re-election or any other office in 2018. He also hinted that he might not finish his current term. On May 18, he officially announced he would leave Congress on June 30, 2017. This led to a special election in Utah, which was won by John Curtis.

Government Accountability Institute

In 2021, Chaffetz joined the Government Accountability Institute. This group works to find and show corruption and misuse of taxpayer money.

After Congress

After leaving Congress, Jason Chaffetz became a commentator and author. On July 1, 2017, he started working as a contributor for Fox News. He often appears as a guest or host on many Fox News shows.

He has also written several books since leaving office. His first book, The Deep State, was published in 2018 and became a New York Times bestseller. He released Power Grab in 2019 and They Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste in 2021. He also has a podcast called Jason in the House.

Political Views

Healthcare

Chaffetz has often voted to cancel the Affordable Care Act. In March 2017, he made a comment comparing the cost of healthcare to buying an iPhone. He said people should invest in their healthcare instead of buying a new iPhone. He later changed his statement after facing criticism.

Budget and Taxes

Chaffetz said that attempts to add an inheritance tax on large amounts of money were "immoral."

Washington, D.C. Laws

In 2017, Chaffetz wanted Congress to overturn a law in Washington, D.C., that allowed very sick people to end their lives. Local groups and leaders in D.C. felt this was an attack on their right to make their own laws. In 2009, Chaffetz also tried to overturn D.C.'s law allowing same-sex marriage, but he was not successful.

Energy and Environment

Chaffetz supports using many different types of energy. He does not agree with the idea that global warming is caused by humans. In 2008, he called global warming a "farce." He has voted for laws that would stop the Environmental Protection Agency from controlling gases that affect the climate.

Chaffetz also believes that millions of acres of public land should be sold. In January 2017, he introduced a bill to transfer 3.3 million acres of public land in Western states to state ownership. He said the land was not useful for taxpayers. However, he withdrew the bill after many people protested.

Chaffetz has opposed protecting the Greater sage-grouse, a bird whose population has greatly decreased.

Net Neutrality

Chaffetz is against net neutrality. This is the idea that internet companies should treat all internet content equally. In 2015, he held hearings to see if the Obama administration had secretly influenced the government to adopt net neutrality rules.