Debate moderator Steve Scully says his Twitter account was hacked as president accuses him of being a ‘Never Trumper’
President Trump on Friday accused C-SPAN political editor and future debate moderator Steve Scully of being a “Never Trumper,” though Scully says his Twitter account was hacked and a message to a former top Trump aide did not originate from him.
Scully had come under criticism after his account tweeted at former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, a Trump ally-turned-critic, asking whether he should “respond to Trump” after the president claimed during a Fox News appearance that Scully was a “Never Trumper” who “worked for Biden at one point.”
Trump’s accusation appeared to reference Scully’s brief internship in Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s Senate office more than four decades ago.
“Steve Scully, the second Debate Moderator, is a Never Trumper, just like the son of the great Mike Wallace. Fix!!!” Trump tweeted, referencing Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who moderated the first presidential debate last week.
Steve Scully, the second Debate Moderator, is a Never Trumper, just like the son of the great Mike Wallace. Fix!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2020
C-SPAN said Friday that “Scully did not originate the tweet and believes his account has been hacked.”
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 9, 2020
Scaramucci responded to the tweet from Scully’s account, advising him to “ignore” the president.
“He is having a hard enough time,” he tweeted. “Some more bad stuff about to go down.”
Former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer voiced support for Scully and C-SPAN on Twitter, saying Scully “did not send the tweet.”
I spoke w @SteveScully Only interactions w Scaramucci he has had are a June 2018 tv & 2019 radio @cspan interview. He did not send the tweet. Steve is good man & will make an excellent @debates moderator. CSPAN does an amazing job of giving people unfiltered access #Debates2020
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) October 9, 2020
For now, it appears unlikely there will even be a presidential debate next week. The fate of the town hall-style event, originally scheduled to take place Thursday, has been called into question after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced plans to hold it in a virtual format due to Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis.
Trump has said that he will not participate in a virtual debate and has insisted on the event being held in person, while Biden has since announced he will be hosting a town hall with ABC News on Thursday.
—Updated at 12:56 p.m.
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