The White House isn't just standing by its view that federal law doesn't guarantee back pay for furloughed workers: It has emails showing this belief dates back to the 2019 shutdown, according to correspondence reviewed by Axios.

Why it matters: This interpretation from the Trump White House's current Office of Management and Budget has roiled Congress, outraged labor unions and added a layer of tension to the federal shutdown that began Oct. 1. • Amid the outcry over the possibility of up to 750,000 furloughed workers being denied back pay, OMB general counsel Mark Paoletta briefed Republican congressional staffers Tuesday about a draft OMB memo, first reported by Axios, concerning the furlough law. • Paoletta discussed the emails between the office and congressional budget staff in

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