The far-right US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is facing controversy after saying that her elected position’s salary is “too low”.
Earlier this week, Republican Representative from Georgia appeared on writer Glenn Greenwald’s podcast and voiced worry about her congressional pay, which is $174,000 per year, according to public records.
Greene told Greenwald: “Becoming a member of Congress has made my life miserable. I made a lot more money before I got here. I’ve lost money since I’ve gotten here.
“It’s not a life that I think is like something that I enjoy because I don’t enjoy it,” added Greene, who had previously owned a CrossFit affiliate gym in Georgia before being elected to Congress in 2020.
Additionally, Greene complained about the amount of time her congressional work consumes, saying: “The nature of this job, it keeps members of Congress and senators in Washington so much of the time, too much of the time … that we don’t get to go home and spend more time with our families, our friends … or maybe just be regular people because this job is so demanding. It’s turned into practically year-round.”
She continued: “For those of us in the House of Representatives, we have to run for Congress every two years. So you’re practically campaigning nearly the entire time that you’re here serving as a representative.”
Greene’s remarks drew immediate criticism online.
“Feel free to step aside if it isn’t too cushy of a job for you @RepMTG. Millions of us won’t mind. #stopwhining,” one Twitter user wrote, tweeting at her account.
Someone else tweeted: “Griping Greene you don’t get to serve the Constitution and its people expecting to profit. Get a part-time job or better yet, just quit.”
Another user added: “Really? Being in Congress isn’t supposed to be about money. And I guarantee you make more per year than most of your constituents. If you don’t like the life and job, stop running for office.”
Greene, who formerly supported the far-right conspiracy organization QAnon and made racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim comments, also informed Greenwald that she has been harassed while working on Capitol Hill.
The congresswoman said: “I have people come up to me and say crazy things to me out of the blue in public places that they believe because they read it on the internet or saw it on some news show about me.”
