A Republican lawmaker is facing criticism after being caught participating in a recent House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on Special Operations and Misinformation from his car.
On Tuesday, March 16, C-Span Communications Director Howard Mortman shared a clip of the hearing that highlighted Rep. Austin Scott's (R-Ga.) remarks. While driving his car, the Republican lawmaker asked Christopher Maier, director of the Defeat-ISIS Task Force Office of the Secretary of Defense, whether or not military personnel were being made aware of how foreign adversaries are using misinformation campaigns on social media platforms to target the United States.
The full clip focused on the exchange between Scott and Maier but most viewers were focused on the fact that the Georgia lawmaker actually questioned a witness during the hearing while driving.
Shortly after the footage was shared, Twitter users began chiming in with their reactions. While some social media users noted the dangers of cognitive distraction, others accused Scott of not taking his job seriously. One Twitter user wrote, "This dude gets paid $174k/year to not care about his job. What a sad loser."
Another person said, "Rep. Austin Scott calls in from the driver's seat at the House Armed Services Intelligence and Special Operations subcmte hearing on disinfo campaigns. I've seen lawmakers question witnesses from the passenger side, but this is the first I've spotted from behind the wheel."
Scott has not yet responded to the criticism over his call during the hearing.
