A journalist who reportedly accused Rep. Pat Tiberi of faking a phone call in order to dodge questions ended up speaking with the congressman’s mother.
The awkward moment happened when Tiberi, R-Ohio, was on his way to a meeting Tuesday evening with other House Republicans and Vice President Mike Pence in the U.S. Capitol basement as they scrambled to piece together another Obamacare repeal bill.
Chad Pergram, who covers Congress for FOX News, stopped Tiberi, asking who he was talking to on the phone.
Tiberi then handed him the cellphone and the reporter found out it was Tiberi’s mother. “I’m keeping your son from meeting with the vice president,” Pergram said, which prompted Tiberi to ask why would he tell her that — eliciting a round of laughs from other reporters in the room.
After getting his phone back, Tiberi quipped, “see you thought I was making up a call,” before moving on to the meeting.
Chad Pergram calls out Rep. Tiberi for faking a phone call to avoid press questions. Tiberi gives the phone to Pergram, it's his mom: pic.twitter.com/kOtG5t49BZ— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) April 5, 2017
Pergram tweeted about the phone call from his account, but made no mention of his part in it.
GOP OH Rep Pat Tiberi chatting with his mom en route to mtg in Capitol basement w/Pence on health care
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 5, 2017
