Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) lamented this week about how little she was getting paid as a member of Congress, claiming that her low congressional salary had made her “life miserable” as she “made a lot more money” before stepping into public service.
The MAGA firebrand, who fashions herself as a populist concerned about the plight of everyday Americans, recently appeared on investigative journalist turned professional troll Glenn Greenwald’s podcast. While ostensibly there to talk about her newfound alliance with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Ukraine war, and other right-wing culture war gripes, she also found time to complain about how hard it is being a congresswoman.
“The nature of this job, it keeps members of Congress and senators in Washington so much of the time—too much of the time, to be honest with you—that we don’t get to go home and spend more time with our families, our friends, all in our district, or maybe just be regular people,” the Georgia lawmaker grumbled. “Because this job is so demanding, it’s turned into practically year-round.”
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She continued: “And 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.”
After saying this was a “recipe for disaster,” Greene then fumed about her House salary and how she had taken a massive pay cut to serve in Congress. (Greene’s father had sold his general-contracting company to her and her now ex-husband back in 2002.)
“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,” she groused, adding, “It’s not a life that I think is like something that I enjoy because I don’t enjoy it.”
Greene’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Members of the House of Representatives earn a salary of $174,000 a year. Additionally, the House was in session for 164 days last year, meaning Rep. Greene was required to work less than half the calendar year.
Greene, who was kicked off of committees in the last congressional session due to her violently conspiratorial rantings, was given plum assignments after the GOP narrowly regained the majority in the House and McCarthy was elected speaker.
After the far-right lawmaker threw her support behind McCarthy during his chaotic fight for the speakership, she was placed on the House Oversight and Homeland Security committees.
