Rep. Tom Garrett, R-Va., announced Monday that he would not run for reelection because he plans to seek treatment for alcoholism, The Washington Post reported.
The congressman and member of the House Freedom Caucus made the announcement in a video, and also announced that he is an alcoholic. “Here’s one area where I haven’t been honest. The tragedy is that any person — Republican, Democrat, or independent — who has known me for any period of time and has any integrity knows two things: I am a good man, and I am an alcoholic,” Garrett said.
Garrett is the 48th Republican to retire or to announce that they will not be seeking reelection in 2018, a list maintained by the House Press Gallery.
On Friday, four former staff members of Garrett’s said that he and his wife ordered staff to do personal tasks for them, which is prohibited by House ethics rules.
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