Infidelity always spills over and harms more than the couple involved. Rep. Tim Murphy’s affair and subsequent resignation from Congress is no exception.
News that the Pennsylvania social conservative encouraged his mistress to have an abortion is sad enough. But that it comes after the Las Vegas attack is a tragedy for House Republicans because it comes at the absolute worst time.
Until Thursday evening, Murphy, a former psychologist, was the leading mental health expert in Congress touting reforms to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.
Though not effective immediately, Murphy’s resignation automatically hurts the GOP conference. Their response to a mass shooting has always been mental health reforms—a cause now without an advocate. The statement from House Speaker Ryan, R-Wis., says as much.
“This afternoon I received a letter of resignation from Congressman Tim Murphy, effective October 21. It was Dr. Murphy’s decision to move on to the next chapter of his life, and I support it,” Ryan wrote in a statement before praising murphy’s “work on “mental health issues.”
Pushed on gun control, Republicans will have a harder time pushing back with calls for mental health reform now that they’re a man down. In short, his personal indiscretion and lack of moral judgment has just publicly screwed over Republicans.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
