Warren’s Offices Aren’t Answering Phones During Government Shutdown

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has decided to close her Washington and in-state offices during the government shutdown.

Unlike the rest of the Massachusetts delegation, Warren “determined that having staff answer phone calls is not an essential part of her office’s job during a shutdown, leaving constituents to go to voice mail when they call to give their opinion or to seek services or assistance,”reported The Boston Globe.

Warren’s website includes this message:

“Thank you for visiting my website. Unfortunately, funding for the operations of the United States Federal Government expired at midnight on September 30, 2013, and my Senate office has been shut down.

“As a result, my offices will be minimally staffed and phones will not be answered. Individual staff may not have access to email or voicemail, and letters and emails sent to my office will not receive a response until the end of the shutdown.

“Constituent caseworkers in my office will not be able to assist you at this time, but they will resume work on cases after the conclusion of the shutdown.

“I am continuing to work with my colleagues to restore funding for the federal government as soon as possible.”

Massachusetts’ other senator, Edward J. Markey, does have staff answering his Washington office phones though he has furloughed some aides both in Washington and his Massachusetts offices. He has also stopped plans to hire new staff, according to The Globe.