"Mike Lee Did Not Just Say What Mike Lee Just Said"

Years ago, the Utah Jazz had a player named Carlos Boozer.  When Boozer was signed as a free agent, he was touted as the next Karl Malone.

For those who aren't familiar, Malone was a two-time NBA Most Valuable player, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, multiple-time All Star, and was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame.  A statue of him currently sits outside the Jazz's arena.

Boozer fell far short of those expectations.  Unlike Malone, who missed very few games during his time in Utah, Boozer was oft0injured, and usually missed large chunks of the season while injured.  When he did play, his play was lackluster at best, especially on the defensive end.He was already disliked among the Utah fan base by the time he gave this comment to a Miami radio station:

"I'm going to get paid, no matter what." He also ensued the he would get a significant pay raise the next time he signed a contract.  Talking about getting paid for doing a bad job, or not even doing your job, seems like a bad idea.

Fast forward to 2013.  Utah's Senator Mike Lee, whose insistence on stopping ObamaCare by any means necessary has led to many government agencies being shut down, with their employees being out of work.  Many "essential" employees are working, but not getting paychecks.  Imagine how they felt when they read this:

KUTV's Chris Jones asked the senator if he would give up his pay during the shutdown, Lee responded, "Uh.  I don't."  Jones continued, "you will continue to be paid, right?"  The senator responded, "I'm working, I'll continue to be paid."

"I'm working, I'll continue to get paid."  Wow.  So, even though you caused thousands to go without paychecks, caused millions more to cancel or significantly alter travel plans, at great cost to the Utah and National economy, not to mention those who rely on government services to eat to do without, you refuse to give up even a few days' pay?

Than again, we all know Mike Lee didn't know he'd be taking a pay cut to go from Lobbyist to Senator. 

But, Mike Lee's office said that Mike Lee intended to give his missed salary to charity (a nice gesture, but he gets a tax write-off for that, anyway).  They also said that Mike Lee didn't really say that he'd be getting paid.

So, KUTV posted the entire raw interview to prove that he did, in fact, say what he said.

Mike Lee didn't like getting filmed during the campaign.  I'm sure it was because he might say something he didn't really say.

Maybe Mike Lee needs to stop talking. 

-Bob