PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay as the government shutdown stretches into its third week, but what about the lawmakers who represent you?
A WPTV investigation found that while some Florida representatives are forgoing their salaries, others won't say whether they're still collecting paychecks.
WATCH: The lawmakers who tell WPTV they're not accepting pay during shutdown
I reached out to all seven lawmakers representing Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast with a simple question: Are you taking pay during the shutdown? Four responded, and their answers may surprise you.
All four lawmakers who responded say they shouldn't pocket their salary during this government shutdown. It's a move that resonates with constituents who question why air traffic controllers, park rangers and hundreds of thousands of other federal workers must go without pay while elected officials can continue drawing their salaries.
"Is it OK for them to draw a paycheck when the government is shut down?" WPTV's Dave Bohman asked.
No. I don't agree with that," Laura Bando said.
Sridhar Krishnan echoed that sentiment: "If government is shutting down, why would we pay senators and congressmen?"
Jamie Dreyfuss-Landerman added: "Aren't they usually millionaires to start with? OK, yeah, they don't need a paycheck."
State
Federal shutdown puts 95,000 Florida workers at risk as leaders clash over blame
Four lawmakers commit to forgoing pay
U.S. Senator Rick Scott says he's not taking a paycheck and posted on X that he'll push his No Budget, No Pay Act, which holds members of Congress accountable for passing a budget or forgoing their pay.
Senator Ashley Moody sent out a news release, stating: "I will be donating my salary to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay which provides help to vulnerable populations."
Congressman Mike Haridopolous, whose district includes Indian River County, wrote by text: "Until the government reopens, I will not be accepting pay."
Congressman Jared Moskowitz, whose district represents southern Palm Beach County, posted on X: "As long as the government is in shutdown, I will not take a paycheck."
National Politics
Shutdown drags on as Senate fails again to pass funding bill
Three lawmakers remain silent
The investigation found three lawmakers who wouldn't answer questions about their pay status. The offices of Representatives Brian Mast, Lois Frankel and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick did not respond to emails asking the yes-or-no question: "Are you taking pay during the shutdown?"
FAU Political Science Professor Craig Burnett said the public won't really pay attention until things get much worse.
"Here we are, it's October 2025, right? The next chance you really have to see what voters think of their elected officials on how this situation was handled is over a year away," Burnett said.
Constitutional complications
The U.S. Constitution is widely interpreted to mean lawmakers cannot legally refuse pay. They can, like Senator Moody, divert their paychecks to charity, or have their pay withheld during the shutdown and either collect or donate that money when the shutdown ends.
The investigation will continue pressing these lawmakers to reveal what they'll do with their current pay or back pay when the shutdown concludes.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
