House military veterans rip Jeffries for taking pay during shutdown: ‘Insult to Americans'

By Fox News · Fox News

EXCLUSIVE: Military veterans in Congress are criticizing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries , D-N.Y., for dodging questions on whether he will forego his paycheck as government workers go without pay due to the ongoing shutdown. Reps. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Tom Barrett, R-Mich., each of whom served in the U.S. Army, said they would give up their paychecks for the duration of the shutdown, citing concern for American service members. The three took aim at Jeffries for not saying whether he would do the same. As the government shutdown enters its fifth week, Jeffries was asked on CNN on Wednesday night if he would defer his paychecks during the shutdown in light of TSA agents and other federal workers having to work without pay. Jeffries dodged the question, saying, "I’ll be commenting on that shortly." JOHNSON REJECTS PUSH FOR MILITARY PAY FIX AS SHUTDOWN FIGHT INTENSIFIES "I understand the sacrifice that people are making, including Capitol Police officers here, and I'm going to conduct myself accordingly given that sacrifice," Jeffries added, to which the CNN host pressed, "So, that sounds like a yes, that you will defer your paycheck?" Jeffries answered, "Well, I'll have more to say about that shortly, but I think consistent with the values that I just articulated." In response, Evans, who served as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, called Jeffries’ dodge an "insult to Americans" that "just reiterates their unserious and irresponsible legislating and proves how out of touch they are from those they are supposed to serve." HOUSE GOP BLOCKS DEMS' MILITARY PAY BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENS CHECKS "As a former cop and soldier who still lives paycheck to paycheck, I understand firsthand the severity and impact that this Democrat-led shutdown has caused our country to endure, and is why I’ve chosen to defer my pay and stand in solidarity with every federal employee who misses a paycheck until the Democrats decide to work with…