Many members have spent time working as staffers before their election to Congress. But a handful of members just can't stay away from Congress, taking jobs as staffers after their terms have come to an end.
Former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) recently left his position as a top staffer on the House's Jan. 6 Committee, where he'd been a senior technical adviser since August. Riggleman, who's joining a nonprofit working with Ukraine, left Congress at the end of last term after losing his 2020 primary bid.
Riggleman leaves behind two fellow ex-members who are still working as staffers: Former Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.) is a regional director for Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), while former Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.) serves as Rep. John Rose's (R-Tenn.) chief of staff.
In the last 20 years, only a handful of other members have worked as congressional staff after their time in office:
- Former Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) briefly served as a special adviser to then-Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
- Former Rep. Rod Grams (R-Minn.) served as interim chief of staff and then part-time adviser to then-Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.).
- Former Rep. Herb Klein (D-N.J.) served as Sen. Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) communications director.
Others, including former Reps. Judy Biggert (D-Ill.) and Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), have gone on to serve on the House Office of Congressional Ethics board.
