TV feed of House Democrats' sit-in cut off

TV viewers hoping to catch all of the House Democrats' sit-in on the House floor had to find other methods besides Capitol chronicler CSPAN. That's because it's the House who controls CSPAN's video and audio feeds, meaning when the leadership sent the House into recess, they cut off the feed. Democrats are staging a "sit-in" on the House floor in protest of GOP leadership's refusal to allow a vote on a gun control measure following the Orlando (FL) massacre.

Around 11:25 a.m., as Rep. John Larsen (D-CT) yielded his time to Democratic Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer, (D-MD), the house was put into recess and the feed was cut. "What we show on CSPAN is the feed from the House. It is the House’s video, their feed, their audio, their camera angles. It’s the house recording studios that operates the cameras under the control of house majority leadership," CSPAN spokesman Howard Mortman said. Mortman said they were not given warning that the House would be recessed or the feed cut off. With the cameras turned off, CSPAN began broadcasting a Periscope livestream of the floor from Rep Scott Peters (D-CA), with the full graphics afforded to normal video feeds of the House floor. "Cameras in chamber controlled by house. House is currently in recess subject to call. House cameras are not permitted to show sit-in," read the "Alert" on the bottom of CSPAN's shot. Other outlets, including television outlets, also picked up livestream videos from various members of Congress.