Mar 25, 2009 10:41 pm US/Central
Reality Check: Will New Senator Get Back Pay?
(WCCO)
It's almost three months since a court fight began over who won Minnesota's U.S. Senate election. Eventually, either Republican Norm Coleman or Democrat Al Franken will be sworn in as Minnesota's second U.S. Senator in Washington.
So should the eventual winner get back pay? That's a question many of you asked Reality Check.
Here's what you NEED TO KNOW.
The next time you come to the Minnesota State Capitol, come out front and meet
U.S. Senator Knute Nelson. He died in office in 1923 on his way back from Washington, D.C. to his home in Alexandria, Minn.
It took 78 days to hold an election and send his successor,
Magnus Johnson, to Washington, D.C. That was a Minnesota record,
until now.
Here's the political TICK TOCK.
As of March 25, 2009, it's been 80 days since the rest of the Senate took office. There is no new Senator from Minnesota and no end in sight to the court fight over who won the election.
And the question many have asked Reality Check: Will the new Senator get back pay?
IN FACT...
Until today it was a possibility. According to the office of the Secretary of the U.S. Senate, Senate leaders have been researching whether back pay should be given to the new Minnesota Senator.
Now, the Secretary's office says the next Senator from Minnesota will start getting paid on the day they're sworn in. No back pay. Here's what you NEED TO KNOW.
A U.S. Senator makes
$169,300 a year, which is about $464 a day.
So as of today, the new Senator is missing out on $37,107 of back pay... and counting.
That's Reality Check
To check the resources for this Reality Check click on the links below.
Bio: U.S. Senator Knute Nelson
Bio: Magnus Johnson
Minnesota Sets Record for Longest Period With Only One U.S. Senator
U.S. Senate: Salary and Benefits
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