Cruz pledges salary to charity if gov’t shuts down

 

DALLAS (AP) — Sen. Ted Cruz is pledging to donate his salary to charity during any federal government shutdown.

Cruz announced his pledge in a statement Monday evening. On Friday, Cruz had told an Austin conference that he had not planned to forego his paycheck as a U.S. senator if the federal government shut down.

Cruz has vowed to halt funding to the White House-backed health care law or shut down the government by trying. His 21-plus-hour speech in the Senate last week irked colleagues in both parties but energized conservative activists.