C-SPAN suspended political editor and longtime host Steve Scully after he admitted to lying about being hacked, The Associated Press reports.
Scully, who was slated to moderate the canceled second presidential debate, came under fire from President Donald Trump.
After Trump called him a “never Trumper,” Scully tweeted to former White House communications director-turned-Trump-critic Anthony Scaramucci.
“@Scaramucci should I respond to Trump,” he wrote.
Both C-SPAN and the Presidential Debate Commission issued statements saying that Scully’s account was hacked and an investigation was underway.
Scully admits to lying:
"For several weeks, I was subjected to relentless criticism on social media and in conservative news outlets regarding my role as a moderator for the second presidential debate, including attacks aimed directly at my family,” Scully said in a statement on Thursday. “This culminated on Thursday, October 8th when I heard President Trump go on national television twice and falsely attack me by name.”
“Out of frustration, I sent a brief tweet addressed to Anthony Scaramucci. The next morning when I saw that this tweet had created a new controversy, I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked,” he added. “These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible. I apologize."
C-SPAN suspends:
C-SPAN said it had suspended Scully indefinitely.
"We are very saddened by this news and do not condone his actions," C-SPAN said. "Starting immediately, we have placed Steve on administrative leave. After some distance from this episode, we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN."
Trump gloated on Twitter.
"I was right again!" he wrote. "Steve Scully just admitted he was lying about his Twitter being hacked. The Debate was Rigged! He was suspended from @cspan indefinitely. The Trump Campaign was not treated fairly by the 'Commission'. Did I show good instincts in being the first to know?"
