From NBC News:
WASHINGTON (NBC NEWS) — Earlier this month, Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania became the first House Republican to formally back legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job, co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill.
Less than a week later, he announced he was beginning his retirement from Congress months earlier than expected: Instead of leaving at the end of the session, he'd head for the exit in May.
The move may have seemed sudden but the seven-term congressman, who had initially announced plans to retire last September, has spent much of the past year eyeing the door — and speaking his mind.
Since announcing his retirement, he has denounced President Donald Trump and been critical of Republican leaders. He told MSNBC last week that he's leaving Capitol Hill "in part due to frustration," naming the president as one factor. "Sure, the president is a reason," he said.
"Let's face it, it's a pretty toxic environment for my party right now," Dent said.
Dent is among the nearly four dozen Republicans in the House and Senate this year who have resigned from Congress, plan to retire or are running for another office.
And so without the usual filters, says GOP strategist Rick Wilson — fear of a primary challenge, fear of upsetting the Republican base, "fear of mean tweets" from Trump himself — more than a few have decided to toss the talking points.
"I think they definitely feel liberated now," Wilson said of departing Republicans. "The only thing that they see right now is that they're going to get the hell out of Washington. They're going to escape this sh--show."
In late January, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., shocked Washington with his decision to retire from the House, seven years after he arrived to Congress with the tea party wave. Since his announcement, the former chairman of the Select Committee on Benghazi has veered notably off-script.
Two weeks after announcing his retirement, Gowdy — the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee — announced that he was launching an investigation into Rob Porter's employment and security clearance status at the White House despite domestic abuse allegations.
In March, Gowdy split from fellow Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee and contradicted their findings in their Russia investigation, saying it was "clear, based on the evidence, Russia had disdain for Secretary Clinton and was motivated in whole or in part by a desire to harm her candidacy or undermine her presidency had she prevailed."
"No, I don't like the job," Gowdy said candidly about serving in Congress in an interview this month with VICE News — adding that he was actually counting down the number of drives he has to take to the airport until he can flee Capitol Hill for good.
Click for more on the story courtesy of NBC News.