Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., said he would continue collecting his paycheck (more than $170,000 per year plus benefits) during the federal government “shutdown”:
“Dang straight,” he said.
Terry suggested it’s an irrelevant question because the situation would be resolved before long.
What about the other members who were donating or forgoing their pay?
“Whatever gets them good press,” Terry said. “That’s all that it’s going to be. God bless them. But you know what? I’ve got a nice house and a kid in college, and I’ll tell you we cannot handle it. Giving our paycheck away when you still worked and earned it? That’s just not going to fly.”
After a spate of bad publicity in response to his comments, Terry is apologizing:
It was not leadership. It is not how I was raised. It is not the nature of my character. It is not what I want to teach my sons. #Omaha
— Lee Terry (@LEETERRYNE) October 6, 2013
I apologize for my hurtful remarks when so many others are feeling the pain of Washington’s dysfunction. #Omaha #Nebraska
— Lee Terry (@LEETERRYNE) October 6, 2013
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