House Republican Won't Defer Paycheck During Government Shutdown

One House Republican is refusing to forgo her paycheck during the government shutdown.

As Talking Points Memo notes, Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) told a television station in her state that she needs “my paycheck. That's the bottom line. I understand that there may be some other members who are deferring their paychecks, and I think that's admirable. I'm not in that position.”

Ellmers’ husband is a general surgeon, a job that brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to CNN Money. The top pay for a general surgeon is $412,000.

Ellmers is not the only elected official to say she will keep collecting a paycheck. House Democrat G.K. Butterfield told the same station he would not be deferring his pay. “I don't think there should be a shutdown. I didn't create the shutdown,” said Butterfield.