The Government Shutdown Promise That Ted Cruz Actually Kept

Days before the 2013 government shutdown began, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pledged to donate all of his salary to charity. Upon further review, Cruz fulfilled that promise.

A Washington Post analysis released Thursday shows that the senator donated $7,627.40 to YES Prep, a Houston area charter school. That amount equals 16 days worth of pay, which was how long the shutdown lasted.

On the whole, the Post report found that at least 109 of the 237 lawmakers pledging to donate or return pay did so, with $465,000 going back to the government or over to charity. An October graphic created by CongressStillGetsPaid.com found that Congress earned $4,054,997.95 over the 16-day span.

In late December, Cruz told ABC's "This Week" that he had no regrets about the shutdown, defending himself against criticism from some GOP colleagues about his strategy of lobbying to defund Obamacare.

“I can’t help what other people say," Cruz said, adding that it was a "mistake" for President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to "force" the shutdown.