Debbie Dingell appears to sleep in House meeting; drops fiesty reply
Screenshot taken off X.
FOX 2 - Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is going viral on social media for all the wrong reasons.
The backstory:
The 71-year-old was caught on camera with her eyes closed tilted back in her chair during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday.
Video from the meeting had many accusing the Democrat - who has served in the House since 2015 - of sleeping during the meeting.
"Rip Van Dingel," posted Leland Whaley.
"MI Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D, NapTime) asleep on the job. Literally," posted the account Sweet Home Michigan.
The other side:
But Dingell shot back at the claims, by quoting the video post on X with her spicy response, taking a moment to spotlight her Medicaid concerns.
"Been up for 31 hours straight fighting Republicans trying to gut Medicaid," she said in her post. "Closed my eyes to think about an America where everyone has access to quality, affordable health care."
The video was taken by Matthew Foldi, a reporter for the Spectator saying @RepDebDingell is asleep in a hearing room. But it caught fire after TownHall.com reposted it, which Dingell herself responded to.
Later during the session, she spoke up during the Budget Reconciliation Hearing.
"Chronic understaffing continues in nursing homes and the elderly and disabled Americans living in nursing homes have suffered as a result," she said. "In fact, people have died. We saw too many stories coming out of Covid where people have died.
"Our long-term care system is broken."