On the C-SPAN program American Journal, GOP Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) was asked if he will take pay if the government shuts down. He replied, “I’m honestly not sure how that works.”
When told, “You still get money, the member of Congress get paid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said so on the floor yesterday,” and asked again, “Will you accept that pay?”, Williams replied: “I will.”
Williams, a former Wall Street executive, currently receives a $174,000 annual salary.
As seen in the video clip below, Williams smiles and says, “You know, I’m not independently wealthy, and we are, um, like any other family.”
Note: In August 2022, Williams filed a financial disclosure report with the House listing a net worth of at least $3.1 million. Note: the Congressman is the son of J. McDonald ‘Don’ Williams, the retired CEO and chairman of the global real estate concern Trammell Crow Company headquartered in Dallas.
GOP Rep. Brandon Williams says he’ll still take pay during a government shutdown because he’s “not independently wealthy.”
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) September 28, 2023
He then says that millions of furloughed federal workers who won’t get paid should not expect “a huge amount of sympathy” pic.twitter.com/NsPXfvptL7
Rep. Williams added: “I don’t think you’re going to find a huge amount of sympathy for you know people who have been furloughed or early retirements, or, laid off or their pensions going bankrupt. You know, you’re not going to find a huge amount of sympathy out there. I’m afraid that’s just the reality.”
Facing criticism over his comments, hours later, Williams reversed his decision and wrote on X: “I have directed that the House suspend my pay to share the burden of a potential government shutdown; meanwhile, I am engaged in the fight to avert one.”
I have directed that the House suspend my pay to share the burden of a potential government shutdown; meanwhile, I am engaged in the fight to avert one. pic.twitter.com/rwUxmsbsU3
— Rep. Brandon Williams (@RepWilliams) September 28, 2023
In an attempt to make light of his comments, Williams joked: “Yeah, I shouldn’t do interviews before having my coffee in the morning.” He joked about his political gaffe with a photo of actor Kevin James on the set of The King of Queens, which has become a meme this week.
Yeah, I shouldn’t do interviews before having my coffee in the morning… https://t.co/O4FsT809p2 pic.twitter.com/ZQfkHDtW2q
— Rep. Brandon Williams (@RepWilliams) September 28, 2023
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