Tipsheet

Dem Rep Says What He Really Feels About Republican Colleague in Hot Mic Moment

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  October 29, 2021 6:30 AM

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was caught on a hot mic during Wednesday’s meeting using profanities toward Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL).

The Democrat’s comment came after Mast offered amendments about vaccine mandates in the airline industry that DeFazio believed were “a little bit off base.”

The chair of the committee, DeFazio noted that Mast's amendment would bar the FAA from requiring vaccinations.

DeFazio noted the FAA isn't mandating vaccinations. Instead, private air carriers have chosen to do so to protect employees and customers, DeFazio said, asking rhetorically whether Mast supports a private company's right to do so.

Mast tried to answer the question. DeFazio didn't want to hear from him.

"You've already wasted time and you'll waste more," DeFazio told Mast when the Florida congressman asked if DeFazio was asking him a question.

The congressman from Springfield, Oregon, then made impassioned comments about vaccination, noting that there are people who oppose vaccines and masks.

"We've got a lot of whacked out people in this country that are killing people, plain and simple," DeFazio said. "In 3 counties in the southern part of my district, deep red counties, vaccines rates of 40%, people have died waiting to get into the ICU."

Mast and Rep. Kaiali'i Kahele, D-Hawaii - who is a licensed commercial airline pilot - argue about vaccinations before Kahele yields back to DeFazio, the chair.

DeFazio then recognizes Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, who yields time back to Mast. (KCBY)

And that’s when DeFazio appeared to lose his patience, uttering “Oh, you f***ing a**hole.”

While reports note that it’s not entirely clear whether the comment was directed toward Mast or Young, Mast and others believe it was to him.

DeFazio also issued a statement about the hot mic moment.

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“I get passionate when it comes to protecting jobs and worker safety and I call it like I see it," he said. "I was fighting for a bipartisan bill that protects the jobs of Federal Aviation Administration workers from government shutdowns and Congressman Mast was trying to derail the Committee’s work with multiple anti-vax amendments that put aviation worker jobs, health, and safety at risk.”

Republicans took issue with the lack of civility.