Steve Scully Reinstated At C-SPAN After False Claim Of Hacked Twitter Account

Steve Scully is returning to C-SPAN, after being placed on administrative leave when he admitted that he falsely claimed that his Twitter account was hacked.

In a statement, C-SPAN said that Scully would return to work starting this week, with initial off-air assignments as a producer and a resumption of work on C-SPAN Radio’s Washington Today and his podcast series The Weekly. No date has been set for his return as one of the cable network’s on-air hosts.

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“We view October’s events as a singular episode in an otherwise successful 30-year C-SPAN career,” the network said in a statement. “And while it was appropriate in October for Steve to be immediately relieved of his duties leading our 2020 election coverage, we reiterate our belief that now, having completed a three-month administrative leave, he can continue to contribute to CSPAN’s mission.”

Scully was to have moderated the second presidential debate, a town hall format, although the event was ultimately canceled.

In October, in the face of attacks from President Donald Trump, Scully posted a public message on Twitter directed at Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, asking him how he should respond. Although many speculated that Scully mistakenly posted the tweet when it should have been a private message, the next day he claimed that his account had been hacked.

C-SPAN, and Scully himself, have gone to great lengths in their programming to not show a partisan bias or affinity. But the message to Scaramucci, who is now a vocal Trump critic, quickly drew attention.

In a statement in October, Scully said that, as he was attacked by name by Trump, he “sent a brief tweet addressed to Anthony Scaramucci” that was “out of frustration.”

“The next morning when I saw that this tweet had created a new controversy, I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked,” Scully said. “These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible. I apologize.”

C-SPAN announced at the time that he would be placed on administrative leave.

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