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CNN spoke to federal employees working without pay or furloughed on Anderson Cooper 360. One employee—federal law enforcement officer Kyle Coats—shared he had run out of money.
Coats relayed how his lack of paycheck would keep him from visiting his daughter.
But one other revelation from Coats grabbed the attention of CNN correspondent Randi Kaye. The federal employee voted for President Donald Trump.
Kaye asked Coats how he felt about Trump now that he created the longest government shutdown in United States history. When asked if he thought the President could relate to his situation, Coats stated he did not feel Trump nor anyone in Congress could relate to people living paycheck to paycheck.
Coats added, in response to whether he agreed with what Trump was doing:
"I don't believe in holding anyone's paycheck hostage."
Kaye later asked if Coats felt betrayed by the man he voted for. The federal law enforcement officer answered:
"I definitely feel betrayed by him. You know, he talked about supporting law enforcement. I'm a federal law enforcement officer not receiving pay. How's that supporting law enforcement officers?"
"You know, so I blame him. I blame the Republican party. I blame the Democrat party."
Watch the full interview with federal workers here.
People found plenty of blame to spread around for the situation these federal workers are in.
@AC360 @randikayeCNN .@senatemajldr wants to vote on a bill that probably won't get 60 votes but refuses to vote o… https://t.co/Dx4qSCniPW— D Sinope (@D Sinope) 1548123971.0
@AC360 @randikayeCNN Unfortunately, the POTUS doesn’t give a damn about them.— Bam ✊ Pow 💥 (@Bam ✊ Pow 💥) 1548123928.0
@AC360 @randikayeCNN It amazes me that people can hear, Donald Trump, own the shutdown and yet they blame Pelosi.— Jason Hannigan #BoycottNRA 🌊🇺🇸 (@Jason Hannigan #BoycottNRA 🌊🇺🇸) 1548124038.0
@CaptinMoonlite @AC360 @randikayeCNN People continue 2 accept the bad behavior, & judgement of @45, in which probab… https://t.co/gRUO5AOy3J— Dollbaby♌️ (@Dollbaby♌️) 1548134634.0
While some pointed to the middle class living paycheck to paycheck.
Some tried to blame the workers themselves for failing to save money or for not quitting their jobs. But others explained the critics were oversimplifying the issue.
@wamo60 @AC360 @randikayeCNN That is good advice. The problem is, when you live paycheck to paycheck, it's hard to save.— Brittany (@Brittany) 1548126236.0
@jasonagastrich @AC360 @CNN @randikayeCNN Fed workers sign a contract that says in gov't shutdown, they may not rec… https://t.co/RCmIspgp1o— Ms Joanne Frances (@Ms Joanne Frances) 1548129139.0
@AC360 @CNN @randikayeCNN Talked w a husband who's wife is a dr in a small military town in Washington State. Patie… https://t.co/N88JCGXV0Z— Rhonda Briley (@Rhonda Briley) 1548125677.0
@RhondaBriley1 @AC360 @CNN @randikayeCNN It’s going to bring down everyone in a trickle and there will be no fixing… https://t.co/YwN5jJWdE5— sharon anderson (@sharon anderson) 1548132370.0
But most pointed to the Trump administration and Congress as responsible for the situation. Fiscal year 2019 funding could have been approved any time after October 1,2017.
But a Republican controlled Congress and White House failed to approve the budgets for nine government departments. People did not blame the workers.
@AC360 @randikayeCNN Trump says he is deal maker, wrote the book art of the deal. Should have titled it Art of the… https://t.co/oqT4S9JdrH— GuDema (@GuDema) 1548137692.0
@AC360 @CNN @randikayeCNN The situation with these Govt. Workers is a nightmare. It is great to know that the membe… https://t.co/cWCLWuiBem— Valeen McCahan (@Valeen McCahan) 1548134324.0
@AC360 @CNN @randikayeCNN I am so sick of Donald and the GOP not doing their jobs. Who do they think they work for,… https://t.co/I1VcqMYrZ2— Lucy Socha (@Lucy Socha) 1548133966.0
@AC360 @randikayeCNN SHUTDOWN IS REPUBLICAN LUNACY...THEY NEED TO OWN IT, STOP THE $ELF-$ERVING BEHAVIOR, & SAVE US… https://t.co/0HfyZlzm8X— MakingTheGrade (@MakingTheGrade) 1548133890.0
The government shutdown that President Trump stated he would be "proud" to create entered its 35th day on Thursday with no end in sight after the Senate failed to approve competing bills to reopen the government.