--- title: Congressman Goes To Wrong Hearing and Other CSpan Moments For The Ages description: Since the dawn of the C-SPAN era, members of Congress have used the ever-present cameras to their advantage: for fundraising, for television ads, for testimonials... canonical: https://time.com/50303/congressional-committee-hijinx/ author: TIME Staff article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-04-04T22:13:01.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T08:52:32.462Z article:section: Politics og:title: Congressman Goes To Wrong Hearing and Other CSpan Moments For The Ages og:description: Since the dawn of the C-SPAN era, members of Congress have used the ever-present cameras to their advantage: for fundraising, for television ads, for testimonials... og:url: https://time.com/50303/congressional-committee-hijinx/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5d237387d74da5e7/69868905169ab0d0b52789e6/ap729577419132.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1500 og:image:height: 844 og:image:alt: Darrell Issa, Elijah Cummings og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Congressman Goes To Wrong Hearing and Other CSpan Moments For The Ages twitter:description: Since the dawn of the C-SPAN era, members of Congress have used the ever-present cameras to their advantage: for fundraising, for television ads, for testimonials... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5d237387d74da5e7/69868905169ab0d0b52789e6/ap729577419132.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Video: Congressional Committee Hijinx > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=45e6cdef-2c6e-4461-bfe7-a1bfe8a29152&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Congress Committee Hijinx [Watch (HLS stream): Congress Committee Hijinx](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/0ElyUTAG.m3u8) (2:24)  _Published 2014-04-04. In tense hearings, sometimes you just have to laugh._ by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Apr 4, 2014 10:13 PM UTC by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Apr 4, 2014 10:13 PM UTC Since the dawn of the C-SPAN era, members of Congress have used the ever-present cameras to their advantage: for fundraising, for television ads, for testimonials on their websites. But the flip side of that is those same cameras catch some scenes no elected member would like to have out in the public domain: flippant statements, mental flubs or, as Senator Dan Coats, an Indiana Republican, found out this week, wandering into the wrong hearing and asking off topic questions. Let the record show: Congress can be incredibly whacky, as these videos prove. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Secretary Comb I did, I just wanted to I just got a note saying that I'm in the wrong hearing. Oh, okay. [ LAUGH ] [ SOUND ] This is what. I go the right room number. You, my, my fear is that The whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over [ NOISE ] and and capsize. We don't anticipate that. Central Republican accusation [ INAUDIBLE ] [ CROSSTALK ] In this investigation. We're adjourned, I gave you an opportunity to ask a question [ INAUDIBLE ] [ INAUDIBLE ] Admittable. We've adjourned. I gave you an opportunity to ask a question. I do have a question. I gave you an opportunity to make a speech. General, what are we hiding? He's taking the fifth. [ LAUGH ] Victory had been achieved. Today we have two Vietnams, side- by- side, North and South. I'm, I'm happy to stay here and hear responses. First off, I object to this. A few moments later. 20 times the capability I had as a division commander. 20 minutes later. Is it perfect? No. Eventually. I'm sorry. And I wanna work with you on that as we go forward. If you don't want me to say it, then we can't have a conversation. Well you weren't going to let us say anything. Mr Snider, what is the name of your fan club? The fan club is called the S- M- F Friends of Twisted Sister. And what does S- M- F stand for when it's spelled out? It's stands for the Sick Mother **** [ SOUND ] Friends of Twisted Sister. Is this a, also a Christian group? [ LAUGH ] Would you call yourself an expert witness when it comes to farm labor issues or not? I, I believe I was invited here today by the Congresswoman. Because I was one of the 16 people who took the United Farm Workers up on the experience. Right. Of having migrant farm work for a single day. And if. Does that. If there are other members of the committee who did that then there's no purpose of me being here. Right. But if there isn't I might be able. Does one day in the field. To give a comment today. Does one day in the field, does one day in the field make you an expert witness I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Does one day working in the field make you an expert witness, do you think? I believe one day of me studying anything I think that makes me an expert. 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