A Republican senator was roundly mocked on Sunday after he mixed up two of his colleagues during a live interview.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) joined Kristen Welker on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning, where he was asked whether Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) should stay in his re-election bid despite the horrific allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife. Banks said Miller should leave the race if the allegations are true, before telling Welker about how the saga had impacted one of his colleagues.
“The allegations are deeply troubling,” Banks said. “I serve with his father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and I know everyone involved. It’s heartbreaking to see all of this playing out publicly.”
Banks was referring to Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who is the father of Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno.
Critics were quick to point out Banks’s mistake and left a few sharp words for him on social media as well.
“Huge if true,” Liz Charboneau, vice president of research at American Bridge, posted on X.
“They made this moron congressman Banks a senator because he owns a tie,” Keith Olbermann, a political commentator, posted on X.
“With both Blackburn and Tuberville leaving, I gotta say that Jim here is firmly positioned to take up the mantle of ‘dumbest motherf—– in the U.S. Senate,’” Clinton Reese, a former “Jeopardy!” champion, posted on Bluesky.
Some critics also pointed out that Welker didn’t correct Banks after his mistake.
“Kind of stunned Welker didn’t correct him and say that the father-in-law is Sen Bernie Moreno,” Stephen Buckley, a lecturer in digital media sociology, posted on Bluesky.
“Curious that Sen. Banks wasn’t corrected — of course, Miller’s father-in-law is Sen. Bernie Moreno. Bernie Sanders has nothing to do with this,” Jim Lokay, a broadcast news anchor in Washington, D.C., posted on X.