Politics
JUST IN: High-Ranking Democrat Falls Asleep During House Hearing
Now that former President Joe Biden is out of office, the lesser known solons of the Democratic Party are drawing increasing attention for their senior moments.
On Wednesday morning, the latest victim of phone videos everywhere was Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), 71, who appeared to be sound asleep in her chair shortly after a congressional committee convened around 9 a.m. EST. The clip, which shows Dingell slumped back in her chair with her eyes closed while a witness gives testimony, began going viral within minutes in conservative media circles.
The candid moment was captured by Matthew Foldi, a journalist for the Washington Reporter, and gained over 50,000 views in less than two hours.
“[Rep. Dingell] is asleep in the hearing room,” he wrote on X.
WATCH:
Social media users speculated about whether the elderly lawmaker had a few too many bubbly waters with breakfast. At least two Perriers and a bottle of still water could be seen on her desk as she snoozed. Another noticed she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
“I know what would happen if I did, or saw this in a meeting,” one X user said. Others quickly agreed they would be fired for sleeping on the job.
“Hey Michigan – if you would get fired for sleeping on the job, why do you keep voting for people who sleep on the job when they’re supposed to be working FOR YOU???” user Melenka wrote.
A third said, “In the private sector Dingell would be fired for sleeping on the job.”
One viewer shared a clip of the much younger Republican Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) being woken up by a colleague to cast his vote shortly before 5 a.m. after an all-night session of markups by the Ways and Means Committee.
“Not excusable from either side of the aisle,” the same user replied.
Lawmaking is already a grueling profession during budget season, but even more so this year as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) rushes to try and meet a May 31 deadline imposed by President Donald Trump, who wants his party to deliver his “big, beautiful bill” of tax cuts for the American people.
Earlier this week, House Republicans introduced their recommendations for trimming hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicaid spending, causing Democrats to veer into theatrics. Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA) was just one of several liberal lawmakers who invited constituents on Medicaid to come and tell their stories as they seek to stave off austerity measures.
Dingell has served in the House since 2015 after succeeding her late husband, John Dingell. She has been easily reelected in a district that formerly held liberal Ann Arbor and post-census redistricting now carries part of Detroit.
