Ohio senator caught driving while attending Zoom call, says he 'wasn't distracted': Video

Ohio state lawmaker Andrew Brenner used a virtual background of his home office in an apparent attempt to conceal the fact that he was driving during a Zoom meeting. In a video of the state board meeting, which was streamed live, the senator could be seen sitting with a seatbelt strapped across his chest. At one point Brenner even turned his head to look over both shoulders in what appeared to be an attempt to safely change lanes inside his “home office”. 

The clip, which has now taken the internet by storm, showed Brenner first sitting in a parked car. A few minutes later into the call, Brenner then moved his phone, left the meeting for a moment and then reappeared with a changed background in a bid to make it look as though he were sitting in a home office. However, across his chest, a dark grey seatbelt could be seen. As he drove, the Republican senator appeared to even keep his eyes mostly ahead as he listened and responded to questions from members of the state Controlling Board. 

Following the incident, while speaking to The Columbus Dispatch, Brenner even denied that he was driving unsafely. He said that he “wasn’t distracted” during the meeting and was also “paying attention to the driving” and listening to the discussion. The senator added that he had two meetings back-to-back in separate locations and he was “not paying attention to the video”. 

The footage of the meeting came on the same day Ohio legislators introduced a bill to crack down on dangerous driving, including introducing penalties for texting and live streaming while behind the wheel.  According to New York Times, the bill would expand a ban on texting while driving, currency a secondary offence in Ohio, live streaming, photo taking and the use of mobile apps while driving. The bill would make both the holding and use of an electronic device while driving a primary offence.

‘Idiocy of government’  

Meanwhile, ever since Brenner was caught in the act, several internet users have criticised the senator for his irresponsible behaviour. While one user wrote, “This guy did this intentionally to highlight the idiocy of government. Try looking beyond the supposed obvious and read into the intent”. Another jokingly wrote, “I always wear a seatbelt at my kitchen table”. “Well don't you wear YOUR seatbelt at home?” said fourth.