Democrat Senator Accuses GOP Colleague of “Creepily” Spying on Her Car
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) has made an unusual claim against Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), accusing him of “creepily” spying on congressional cars. Rosen says Moreno recorded vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to criticize Democrats’ stance on driving safety laws.
Rosen criticized Moreno on Twitter:
“Instead of @berniemoreno creepily following us to the cars we use to get to work in the Capitol and writing down their VIN numbers, I’d suggest he use his time in more productive ways.”
This accusation arose during a tense Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Moreno admitted to collecting VINs from Democratic senators' vehicles to expose what he described as the party’s “hypocrisy” on driver-assistance technology requirements.
During the hearing, Moreno explained:
“I got the VIN numbers to reveal that the Democratic senators’ cars didn’t have the optional driver-assistance features that they have pushed to require in federal workers’ cars.”
Rosen responded strongly, saying:
“I object to you stalking my car and my staff to find the VIN numbers to present to this committee.”
Moreno countered by noting that VINs are typically visible through the front windshield:
“It’s visible from the outside of the car.”
Summary
This incident highlights a clash over vehicle safety policies, with Rosen condemning Moreno’s surveillance tactics used to challenge Democratic safety proposals.