In a surprising display of bipartisan support, several Republican members of Congress came to the defense of Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz on Wednesday, following a TMZ report that targeted the Florida lawmaker. The incident occurred during a two-week congressional recess, which has been extended due to a partial government shutdown that began in February, leaving many government employees working without pay.
TMZ's Shutdown Coverage Sparks Controversy
The entertainment news outlet TMZ has been actively soliciting public photos of politicians vacationing during the government shutdown, resulting in several lawmakers being caught on camera. Among those featured were Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, who was photographed at Walt Disney World, and Democratic Representative Robert Garcia of California, who was seen at a Las Vegas casino bar.
On Wednesday, TMZ added Representative Jared Moskowitz to their growing list, publishing a photo of the Florida Democrat serving as timekeeper at his 12-year-old son's basketball game. While Moskowitz had not commented on the story as of Wednesday afternoon, his Republican colleagues quickly mobilized to defend him against what they perceived as an unfair attack.
Republican Lawmakers Rally to Moskowitz's Defense
Representative Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado, took to social media platform X to voice her support for Moskowitz while taking a swipe at fellow Republican Lindsey Graham. "Moskowitz's timekeeping at his child's basketball game offered better optics than 'a childless Senator at Disney,'" Boebert wrote, adding "Nothing but net, dad" in her post.
Other Republican members of Congress joined the chorus of support. Representative Andy Ogles declared, "I 110% support @RepMoskowitz spending time with his son! Great Dad!! We need more of this in America, not less!!!" while Representative Tim Burchett tweeted, "More Congressmen should spend time with their kids like @JaredEMoskowitz."
Conservative Media Figures Weigh In
Conservative commentators and media personalities also came to Moskowitz's defense, with many describing his actions as "wholesome" and praising his commitment to family. Meghan McCain simply stated, "This one is wholesome," while others criticized TMZ's approach to the story.
Bonchie of RedState questioned, "So you're just stalking dudes at their kids' basketball games now?" and Matt Walsh commented, "I like what you guys are doing but this one is off the mark. There's nothing embarrassing about the guy helping out at his son's basketball game."
Clay Travis added, "Dads — and moms — should be at as many of their kids games as possible, no matter what their politics are. Big swing and a miss here to criticize this."
Questions About Congressional Responsibilities
Several commentators raised questions about what exactly Moskowitz was supposed to be doing differently. Brad Polumbo noted, "I'm unclear on what the congressman is supposed to be doing wrong according to this story. The House is not in session. What's wrong with him going home in the meantime and spending time with his family/community?"
Representative Michael Baumgartner shared his own family activities during the recess, writing, "Looks like TMZ may need to open up a Spokane bureau. I picked up kids from two schools this week and took them to XC, boxing, piano, Scouts and basketball. It was awesome."
Conspiracy Theories Emerge
Some observers suggested tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theories about the origin of the story. Chuck Ross speculated, "I assume the anonymous tipster here is a staffer for Jared Moscovitz trying to make his boss look good," while Andrew Egger added, "A good plot twist would be that Moskowitz leaked this one himself."
The widespread Republican defense of Moskowitz represents a rare moment of bipartisan agreement during a contentious government shutdown, with lawmakers from across the political spectrum united in their support for parental involvement in children's activities.
