Civic Register
| 7.25.17

Hot Mic Catches Bipartisan Senate Gossip

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What’s the story?

If anyone had any doubts about collegiality across the aisle in the Senate, you don’t have to worry anymore. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) inadvertently gave the public a peek into the beauties of bipartisan gossip when they were caught on a hot mic at the end of a subcommittee hearing Tuesday morning talking about the president, the budget and other Members of Congress.

Why does it matter?

The budget process is rarely easy, but at the end of a markup meeting on Tuesday morning, Ranking Democrat Reed complemented Collins, committee chair, on how she had conducted the meeting.Things got more informal from there. The exchange was caught and recorded on a microphone that was left on near the two lawmakers.

Collins lamented the behavior of the Office of Management and Budget. Reed called the president "crazy". Collins suggested that President Trump knows nothing about how the federal budget process works.

The two then began discussing recent comments by Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) during a radio interview, blaming Collins, as well as Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), for killing the Senate healthcare bill. Farenthold insisted that if they’d been "South Texas men" he would have challenged them to a duel, “Aaron Burr-style.”

Collins asked Reed if he’d seen the news about Farenthold. Reed replied, "Trust me. Do you know why he challenged you to a duel? ‘Cause you could beat the s— out of him," prompting a laugh from Collins. She then made comments about Farenthold being “so unattractive.”

What can you do?

Does this news horrify or delight you? Is it good to know that lawmakers gossip just like the rest of us? Or do you think this kind of conversation is undignified and beneath the office? Should Farenthold and Collins duel? According to the rules, Collins would get to choose the weapons.

Use the Take Action button to tell your reps what you think!

— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Medill DC via Flickr / Creative Commons)