What about members of Congress, political appointees and the president?
Heres what a Congressional Research Service report has to say: With regard to the Presidents pay, Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution forbids the salary of the President to be reduced while he or she is in office, thus effectively guaranteeing the President of compensation regardless of any shutdown action.
Congress would not be interrupted, since it is funded under one of the spending bills that already have passed.
Guidance from the Office of Personnel Management says the large majority of political appointees are not subject to furloughs because they are considered to be entitled to the pay of their offices solely by virtue of their status as an officer, rather than by virtue of the hours they work. In other words, their compensation is attached to their office, and, by necessary implication of the Presidents authority to appoint such employees, their service under such an appointment creates budgetary obligations without the need for additional statutory authorization. The exception is that the relatively few political appointees in the Senior Executive Service, under 1,000, are subject to being furloughed because they fall under the regular federal employee leave policies.
Just for shits and giggles, as I'm being asked to defend this claim even though anyone can just Google it.