Senator yells 'f---, f---, f---' on live television during DeJoy testimony as Congress still learns how to use video conferencing tech
- Sen. Tom Carper seemingly thought he was on mute during Friday's virtual Senate hearing for the testimony of US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
- A visibly frustrated Carper can be heard saying 'F---, f---, f---' on live television after struggling with his live stream for the hearing, which was conducted with Cisco's videoconferencing software Webex.
- DeJoy is in the spotlight after he ordered sweeping changes to the US Postal Service that sparked a national backlash and allegations of disrupting the 2020 presidential election.
Scores of people have had to adapt to virtual meetings during the pandemic, including US lawmakers.
The US Senate convened for a virtual hearing Friday for the testimony of the United States Postal Service's postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, who is in the spotlight over sweeping changes that will affect mail-in ballots in the upcoming presidential election. As Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) attempted to speak, he appeared to believe he was on mute when he voiced frustrations with the Webex videoconferencing software.
"F---, f---, f---!" Carper can be heard saying. He then called someone in to help with the issue.
You can watch the video, posted by Polygon editor Russ Frushtick, below.
The senator later posted a tweet, saying few things get him "more fired up than protecting the Postal Service!"
Lawmakers pressed for the hearing to question DeJoy over the controversy that has erupted recently over his handling of the Postal Service.
DeJoy, a major donor to the Republican Party, announced new operational changes to the agency, which had been struggling well before the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes included limiting how much employees could work overtime as well as getting rid of mail-sorting machines, two factors that would be crucial to process the expected influx of mail-in ballots in the November election. Last week, President Trump admitted that he intended to withhold funding from USPS in order to sabotage mail-in voting.
DeJoy said on Tuesday after pressure that he would suspend major changes until after the election.