So it wasn't a decision made in haste or at the last minute around the time of the raid.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/14/paul-ryan-retire-speaker-ready-leave-washington-216103
From December of 2017:
Ryan was tiring of D.C. even before reluctantly accepting the speakership. He told his predecessor, John Boehner, that it would be his last job in politics—and that it wasn’t a long-term proposition. In the months following Trump’s victory, he began contemplating the scenarios of his departure. More recently, over closely held conversations with his kitchen cabinet, Ryan’s preference has become clear: He would like to serve through Election Day 2018 and retire ahead of the next Congress. ***
The speaker can't afford to admit he’s a lame duck—his fundraising capacity and deal-making leverage would be vastly diminished, making the House all the more difficult to govern. When asked at the end of a Thursday morning press conference if he was leaving soon, Ryan shot a quick “no” over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.
Add to this the fact that the House Repubs are facing strong matches against Democrats, and the problems in the House itself (the alt-right), it's no surprise that he decided to retire before the filing deadline to run for his seat in Wisconsin.
My personal thought is that it was a given, because Ryan is on to bigger things. Passing the tax cut bill, and with his power & connections, he'll be courted by some big companies to give him cushy jobs for a lot of money.
I don't think it's related to Cohen at all.
= new reply since forum marked as read
