Patriotism stops at the ATM

More on the GOP eating its own breakfast:

Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) made it clear to the Omaha World-Herald in a story published Friday that he would collect his salary during the government shutdown.  

"Dang straight," Terry said when the newspaper asked whether he would collect his pay during the shutdown, adding that he thought the question was irrelevant because the budget crisis would be resolved shortly. 

Asked about other members of Congress who announced they would either donate their pay to charity or forego paychecks for the duration of the shutdown, Terry suggested it was all for show. 

"Whatever gets them good press. That's all that it's going to be," he told the newspaper. “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.”

Meantime, a North Carolina congresscritter has gone the other way. 

UPDATE 10.7.13: Now he's sorry:

A Nebraska congressman apologized Sunday for saying he would continue to collect his salary during the government shutdown, announcing he would ask to have it withheld until furloughed workers receive their pay. 

Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) was frank when he told the Omaha World-Herald last week that his colleagues who chose to forego their paychecks or donate them to charity during the shutdown were only doing so for publicity. 

"Dang straight," he said when asked if he would claim his salary, citing his "nice house" and "a kid in college" as expenses. 

Terry called his own remarks "shameful." 

“The other day I made a statement that I would put my needs above others in crisis,” the Nebraska Republican said in a statement, as quoted by the World-Herald. “I'm ashamed of my comments. 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. I apologize for my hurtful remarks when so many others are feeling the pain of Washington's dysfunction.” 

“I should and will stand in the shoes of the federal civilian employees who are furloughed,” he added. “We share the same responsibilities to pay our bills, and if they don't receive a paycheck and must take extraordinary efforts and sacrifice to pay them, then I should, too.”