Why it matters: The resignation marks the end of Fortenberry’s nearly two decades in Congress and comes after both House party leaders called for him to resign. Guiding the news: Fortenberry told his colleagues in Parliament in a letter that his resignation is valid on March 31.
“Because of the difficulties of my current circumstances, I can no longer serve effectively,” he wrote. The letter includes a poem by Mother Teresa, which reads in part, “People are often irrational, irrational and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.”
Scenario: A federal court in California found Fortenberry guilty of two counts of making false statements and one count of concealing information.
Fortenberry lied in two interviews with FBI agents about the illegal $ 30,000 donation he received from Nigerian Lebanese billionaire Gilbert Chagoury, prosecutors said. Fortenberry and his lawyers argued that the prosecution was politically motivated and that Fortenberry remembered the wrong details of a call with an associate who informed him of the illegal donations. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. His sentence is scheduled for June 28.
What they say: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, speaking at a GOP shelter in Florida on Friday, said Fortenberry “had his day in court” and should make his appeal as an “individual.” .
“I think when someone is convicted, it’s time to give up,” he told a news conference, adding that he planned to speak with Fortenberry later in the day. Parliament Speaker Nancy Pelosi followed suit by saying in a statement that Fortenberry “must resign from Parliament”. “Mr Fortenberry’s conviction represents a breach of public confidence and confidence in his ability to serve. “No one is above the law.”
Editor’s note: This story and title have been updated to reflect Fortenberry’s resignation.
