James Comey Claims FBI Agents Won’t Be Paid For Christmas Because Of Shutdown. He’s Wrong.

Former FBI Director James Comey continued to prove why he no longer has a job, by claiming Sunday that “FBI families will spend Christmas without a paycheck.”

He then attacked President Donald Trump over the border wall and sent “thoughts” to public servants.

“This president promised Mexico would pay for the wall but innocent people are now paying the price for another lie. Our thoughts are with hardworking public servants and their families,” Comey tweeted.

FBI families will spend Christmas without a paycheck. This president promised Mexico would pay for the wall but innocent people are now paying the price for another lie. Our thoughts are with hardworking public servants and their families.

— James Comey (@Comey) December 23, 2018

Comey is, of course, absolutely wrong about the state of pay for FBI agents, as attorney and Federalist contributor Gabriel Malo pointed out.

“Per OMB guidance, checks for Pay Period 26 (December 9-22) will be processed as usual. Which means federal employees will get their normal direct deposit between December 28 and January 3,” Malor tweeted in response to Comey. “It’s the paychecks *after* that, starting with Pay Period 1, that are stopped.”

Per OMB guidance, checks for Pay Period 26 (December 9-22) will be processed as usual. Which means federal employees will get their normal direct deposit between December 28 and January 3.

It's the paychecks *after* that, starting with Pay Period 1, that are stopped. https://t.co/RT1wroDWWr

— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) December 23, 2018

The agents will receive their pay because that’s how payroll works. The money for December 9-21 salaries was already appropriated by the government, as Malor notes in a follow-up tweet, so the agents will receive pay for that pay period, which they will receive between December 28 and January 3.

The new pay period started on Sunday, and won’t be paid until January 11. If the government is still “shut down” at that time, the agent’s paychecks will be delayed, but they will get paid when Congress comes to an agreement on a budget. I put “shut down” in quotes because the government isn’t actually shut down. Essential employees are still working, and taxes are still being taken out of your paycheck.

“It’s like Democrats have suddenly forgotten how payroll works. You get paid for that LAST pay period’s work, folks,” Malor tweeted.

This, of course, makes perfect sense if you think about it for just two seconds. The money for December 9-21 salaries was appropriated and obligated. So those payments can be sent as part of normal shutdown operations.

It's the pay period after that where there is no money.

— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) December 23, 2018

Malor also understood that many people might not accept his word, so he helpfully provided a link to the Office of Management and Budget’s website.

“And you don’t have to take my word for it, you can go look at OMB’s shutdown guidance for yourself,” he tweeted.

It's like Democrats have suddenly forgotten how payroll works. You get paid for that LAST pay period's work, folks.

— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) December 23, 2018

Comey, you may recall, was the FBI Director during the last government shutdown, in 2013. Comey was appointed to the position by President Barack Obama, and began working on Septembr 4, 2013. The government shutdown that year began on October 1 and lasted until October 17. Comey knows full well how paychecks work during a shutdown, since he was employed by the government during the last one.