House Republican takes part in hearing while driving car

Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) participated in a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing while driving a car on Tuesday.

The Georgia Republican appeared on camera driving his vehicle during the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations hearing on special operations and disinformation campaigns. 

During his appearance, which lasted less than three minutes, Scott appeared to be the first lawmaker to ask a question to a witness while driving, with an inquiry about disinformation that was answered by acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher Maier. 

“Are we discussing with our soldiers the potential for the use of disinformation, misinformation through social media to create bias in the ranks or dissent in the ranks of the military?” Scott asked. “Do you know if we’re actually having discussions with our troops on that?”

Maier responded, “Absolutely,” noting that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is looking into the links between extremism and disinformation on social media.  

“We look to as much as possible make them resilient against what we know are concerted efforts to attempt to divide and in some cases drive them to extremism,” Maier said.

“I think we need to expand beyond the scope of the military as fast as we can in advising the American citizens what is happening with the ability of outside influences that do not like our country to influence our attitudes towards each other in this country and how damaging it is to us,” Scott responded before yielding his time.

Several lawmakers have dialed into hearings, markups and press briefings while on the road as passengers in recent months. 

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) has phoned into hearings from his car as a passenger, including the confirmation hearing for Austin, during which the senator asked the incoming secretary questions. 

Last month, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) mistakenly sided with Republicans and voted against the COVID-19 relief package during a House Budget Committee markup as he was getting off a plane, one of his aides said.