‘You’re upside down, Tom’: Congressman appears upside-down on video during hearing

Rep. Tom Emmer made a topsy-turvy video entrance during a hearing on Wednesday — in fact, he was literally upside-down.

Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, appeared inverted when joining a House Financial Services Committee hearing via video.

“Today’s gig economy sprung up from the last recession, it offers a job to anyone who wants one,” a flipped and seemingly floating Emmer said. “During Covid-19 we must make sure that our nation’s sole proprietors and the smallest of small businesses receive timely –“

“Will the gentleman suspend?” Chairwoman Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, interjected. “I’m sorry — Mr. Emmer? Are you OK?”

When told by another participant, “You’re upside down, Tom,” Emmer replied, “I don’t know how to fix that.”

Several others chimed in during the light-hearted moment, asking if the swap was a metaphor and suggesting that Emmer could stand on his head.

“I appreciate your patience, Madam Chair,” Emmer said, adding that “I don’t know what happened, it just came out this way — I turned it off and I turned it back on.”

The issue was quickly resolved and Emmer appeared right side up, but not before at least one hearing participant referenced a recent video conference mishap that has taken the internet by storm — a livestream of a virtual court proceeding in Texas in which a lawyer appeared on screen as a cat.

In a tweet Wednesday evening, Emmer referenced the Texas lawyer’s assurance that “I’m here live, I’m not a cat” during the now-viral mishap.

“I am not a cat,” Emmer tweeted, along with a photo of himself as he appeared during the hearing upside-down.