‘Creepy’ Sen. Moreno blasted for car snooping on Capitol Hill

The Ohio Republican said he was doing that to question the need for extra safety technology on new vehicles.

“Would it surprise you that I got the VIN numbers of every one of my Democrat colleagues and found that none of them bought any of the additional safety technologies on their cars?” Moreno said, as the one-time Cleveland car dealer complained about the rising cost of cars and trucks.

But Moreno’s claim got under the skin of Democrats, who found it hard to believe that one of their colleagues was walking around Capitol Hill, peering in windshields, and writing down their VIN numbers.

“I’d like to ask for Senator Moreno to submit to the committee how he obtained our personal VIN numbers, and what he plans to do with them,” said U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada.

The normally mild-mannered Rosen quickly lost her patience with Moreno, as they turned a boring nomination hearing into a heated exchange.

“I object to you stalking my car and my staff to find the VIN numbers to present to this committee,” said a furious Rosen. “What are you doing there? What are you going to do with them? It’s an invasion of our privacy.”

“It’s visible from the outside of the car,” said Moreno.

“You went and followed me to see who drives me — to write down their VIN number,” said Rosen. “That seems a little creepy.”

Moreno wouldn’t say how many VIN numbers he had written down, as he quickly tried to turn the exchange into a battle over the government shutdown.

“What we just saw was exactly classic Washington, D.C.,” said Moreno, as he said his goal was “to expose the hypocrisy” of Democrats.

“Everyone around here, back here, is not getting paid,” Moreno said, pointing at the staffers working in the Senate Commerce Committee hearing room, as the Ohio Republican implored Democrats to vote to fund the government.

Rosen wasn’t done with Moreno after the hearing. Her office sent out a video of the spat with Moreno, blasting the Ohio Senator for “creepily following” the cars of Democrats.

“I’d suggest he use his time in more productive ways — like coming to the table and negotiating with Democrats,” said the Nevada Democrat.