franks to this list of vacancies. it was a very sudden departure. when we left the story last week, congressman frankds had just confessed to my discussion of surrogacy with two previous female subordinates. surrogacy as in someone to carry a baby for the congressman and his wife. trent franks made a vague self-exonerating statement about him seeking surrogacy for him and his wife and some of his staffers and even though he said he'd done nothing wrong he nevertheless announced he would be quitting. he'd leave congress at the end of next month on january 31st, 2018. that's where we left it. but congressman franks did not make it anywhere near the end of january. the very next day, after his self-exonerating statement and his announcement that he would eventually leave, the next day on friday the associated press reported new details of his discussion of surrogacy with his former staffers. one former aide telling the a.p. "the congressman repeatedly pressed her to carry his child,