In response to the shocking news that incumbent Dana Rohrabacher has continued his hyperpartisan defense of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, businessman and 48th Congressional District candidate Harley Rouda issued the following statement today:
“Dana Rohrabacher’s decision to defend Jeff Sessions in the face of incontrovertible evidence that Sessions lied is partisanship at its worst. This should not be a partisan issue — every other Republican member of Congress in our region has called on Sessions to recuse himself from any investigations of the Trump campaign, just like anybody with a conflict of interest should do. Rohrabacher is allowing his partisanship and his loyalty to the Trump Administration get in the way of serving his district, and the real issue should be America’s top law enforcement official lying to Congress – not the imaginary ‘media cabal’ that Rohrabacher blames this story on.”
Of the four Republican members of Congress who represent a portion of Orange County, Rohrabacher is the only one who wouldn’t call on Sessions to recuse himself from a Trump investigation.
Harley Rouda is a successful businessman who created the firm Real Living, and now serves on the board of, or as an advisor to, firms in real estate, retail, and a variety of other industries. Rouda received an MBA from The Ohio State University, and a J.D. from Capital University Law School. He lives in Laguna Beach, with his wife Kaira Rouda, a USA Today bestselling author. They have four children.
Active in numerous charities and civic organizations over the years, Harley has been involved in fighting homelessness and domestic violence; active with Human Rights Watch; supporting education for the disadvantaged as well as supporting access to higher education; saving military jobs; and working with civic organizations to drive economic development.
The 48th Congressional District is a top pickup opportunity for Democrats. Hillary Clinton won the district by 2% after a 13-point shift from 2012 to 2016 – one of the largest swings for any district in the nation. Rohrabacher is particularly vulnerable given his reputation as one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies and his penchant for fringe positions that don’t match the moderate 48th District.
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