South Jersey Democrat To Resign From Congress
Credit: Flickr
February 4, 2014

UPDATE from the Philadelphia Inquirer -- The brother of South Jersey's Democratic boss George Norcross will run for the seat:

State Sen. Donald Norcross is expected to run to replace Andrews and will be endorsed by the top names in South Jersey Democratic politics later this morning. Norcross is a labor leader -- the former head of the South Jersey AFL-CIO -- and brother of South Jersey power broker George Norcross. (George Norcross is also majority owner of the company that owns the Inquirer and Philly.com).

Andrews, 56, has faced an expensive House ethics probe into his use of campaign money for a family trip to Scotland. But the source said Andrews is taking the new job to help secure the financial future for his family, the source said. He has two daughters, aged 19 and 21, and has been in government for nearly 30 years.

The seat is safely Democratic. Andrews won 68 percent of the vote in 2012 and President Obama won 66 percent. Andrews' resignation will mean the seat will be vacant until after November's election. (Andrews entered Congress in 1990 under similar circumstances, replacing Jim Florio, who had run for governor).

I wonder if there's more. The House Ethics Committee is mostly toothless but he might just want to throw in and make the big bucks now:

HADDON HEIGHTS, N.J. - February 4, 2014 (WPVI) -- Action News has learned that Rep. Rob Andrews of New Jersey is leaving Congress.

Andrews has called a late morning news conference at his office in Haddon Heights.

ABC News has learned Andrews will resign from Congress.

Andrews is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee on whether he broke rules by using campaign funds for personal travel.

ABC News reports Andrews' aides were summoned last week to appear and turn over documents to investigators.

Andrews has served the 1st District of New Jersey for nearly 25 years.

After leaving Congress, Andrews is expected to head up the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Dilworth Paxson.

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