As the House Minority Leader, Jeffries holds a lot of influence. But he can’t even answer a simple question.
And now Hakeem Jeffries was petrified in fear after CNN turned on him.
Dem Leaders Dodge Shutdown Pay Sacrifice
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dodged a pointed query Thursday on forgoing his salary amid the federal government shutdown, insisting the impasse won’t drag on long enough to force his hand.
Jeffries brushed off the idea that lawmakers should voluntarily skip paychecks while rank-and-file federal workers nationwide stare down empty pockets, leaving the choice to individual members.
When pressed on his own compensation, he dismissed the probe outright as “not even a right one.”
“First of all, that question is not even a right one because we’re anticipating that this shutdown issue will be resolved well in advance of our next paycheck, which as you all know, members of Congress are paid on a monthly basis,” Jeffries said at a press conference.
Elite Salaries vs. Everyday Workers’ Pain
Lawmakers rake in hefty taxpayer-funded pay: a baseline $174,000 annually for House members, bumping up to $193,400 for majority and minority leaders like Jeffries, and a cushy $223,500 for the Speaker. Meanwhile, the shutdown—kicking off at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday—threatens to sideload 750,000 federal employees, including Capitol Hill aides, per the Congressional Budget Office.
Not all pols are ducking accountability. Democratic Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego was blunt Wednesday, admitting he’d keep his checks to cover basics.
“I’m not wealthy, and I have three kids. I would basically be missing, you know, mortgage payments, rent payments, child support,” Gallego said. “So it’s not feasible, not gonna happen.”
GOP Steps Up: Forfeiting Pay to Lead by Example
On the flip side, Republicans are walking the walk, refusing pay until the crisis clears—setting a standard of shared sacrifice that exposes Democrat hypocrisy.
South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, eyeing a gubernatorial run in the Palmetto State, declared Wednesday she’d forfeit her salary, emphasizing, “Leader’s don’t ask their employees to do something they themselves would NOT do.”
Fellow Texans Reps. Chip Roy and Keith Self, plus Florida’s Rep. Kat Cammack, have all directed their pay be held back through the shutdown.
Even Democratic New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim broke ranks, issuing a formal request to pause his payments.
This shutdown farce, born of Dem demands, hits real Americans hardest—yet while conservatives lead with integrity, the left clings to their perks, proving once again who’s truly out of touch with the folks footing the bill.
