WASHINGTON — In response to a tweet that raised raised questions about his objectivity as a moderator, C-SPAN host Steve Scully said Friday that his Twitter account had been hacked.
A now-deleted tweet had appeared on the C-SPAN political editor's account on Thursday and read: "@Scaramucci should I respond to trump." It was directed toward former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who has reversed course and now supports former vice president Joe Biden.
“Ignore. He is having a hard enough time. Some more bad stuff about to go down," Scaramucci responded in a tweet, according to New York Post.
In a statement, C-SPAN said "Steve Scully did not originate the tweet and believes his account was hacked." The outlet added that the Commission on Presidential Debates is investigating "with the help of authorities."
Commission co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf also said Friday during an interview on Fox News radio that Scully's Twitter account was hacked.
"Steve is a man of great integrity, okay?" Fahrenkopf said. "I don't know this question about whether he tweeted something out or not, I do know, and you'll probably pick up on it in a minute, that he was hacked. Apparently, something now that's been on television and the radio saying that he talked to Scaramucci, the guy that was in the White House. He's been talking to Scaramucci. He was hacked. It didn't happen."
Scully was picked to moderate the second presidential debate, the status of which remains very much up in the air. On Thursday, the commission announced it would be holding the Oct. 15 town-hall debate "virtually," because of President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis. Trump then said he wouldn't participate in a virtual debate. That move kicked off a day of back and forth opinions by Trump and Biden's campaigns.
The Oct. 22 debate in Nashville, Tennessee, is scheduled to feature a format similar to the first. Biden’s campaign has suggested that it be modified to the “town meeting” format, though the Trump campaign has not weighed in.
NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker is scheduled to moderate the Oct. 22 debate. However, it's unclear whether she or Scully would moderate the debate if it switches to the town hall format.
Former White House Press Secretary, and current Newsmax host, Sean Spicer also tweeted on Friday that he spoke with Scully, who asserted he wasn't the one to send that tweet. He claimed the only interaction Scully has had with Scaramucci was during two interviews in 2018 and 2019.
President Trump on Friday morning reacted to the reports of Scully's tweet by saying, "Steve Scully, the second Debate Moderator, is a Never Trumper, just like the son of the great Mike Wallace. Fix!!!"
Fox News host Chris Wallace, the son of Mike Wallace, was the moderator for the first presidential debate on Sept. 29. Wallace was accused by the president of siding with his competitor after he pleaded with Trump several times to allow Biden a chance to speak uninterrupted.