Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) will resign from Congress in just a few weeks to take a job with a major lobbying firm. Vela, who was first elected to Texas’ 34th congressional district in 2012, will take a lobbying job with Akin Gump, the largest lobbying firm in the United States. “The timing now, with just nine months left in the term,” Vela said told Forbes. “I’m just ready to go.” Vela has been planning to leave Congress for some time.
In January, he filed papers with the House Ethics Committee recusing himself from all matters related to Akin Gump. Though Vela’s impending retirement has been long in coming, the swiftness with which he’s leaving office left some would-be opponents frustrated, and Vela was accused of “bailing on his constituents.” After his announcement became official Marya Flores, a GOP contender for the seat, posted photos to Twitter showing that Vela’s office was …
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