Nate Hurst has been named political editor of C-SPAN, the public affairs suite of networks funded by the cable industry as a public service. He will head up coverage of campaigns for the White House and Congress as well as state and local elections.

Steve Scully had been political editor, but was suspended last fall after after making up a story about his Twitter account being hacked, then took a buyout offer along with other staffers last month.

Also Read: C-SPAN Offers Buyouts

Hurst has been C-SPAN deputy political editor since 2019 and joined the network in 2014.

He has produced congressional hearings, and meetings of international legislatures and the U.N., a well as some special programming.

Hurst's resume includes CQ Roll Call and Washington correspondent for the Detroit News.

Twitter was abuzz with the news that C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully has been suspended indefinitely after he conceded he had made up the story about his Twitter account being hacked, though signaled he could eventually return. 

Scully, who was to have moderated the Oct. 15 presidential debate before President Trump backed out was attacked by the President as a "never Trumper."

Related: C-SPAN Says Scully Tweet Was Bogus

A tweet from Scully's account appeared to have been a mistakenly-broadcast direct message asking former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci whether Scully should respond to Trump.

Scully had said the tweet was not his and alleged his account had been hacked. 

C-SPAN had backed the Washington Journal host and 30-year vet Scully, releasing a statement Oct. 9 saying Scully had not originated the tweet and that it believed his account had been hacked. It also said the Commission on Presidential Debates stated that the tweet was not sent by Scully and it was investigating the hack. That trust was apparently misplaced.

"For several weeks, I was subjected to relentless criticism on social media and in conservative news outlets regarding my role as moderator for the second presidential debate, including attacks aimed directly at my family," said Scully in a statement. "This culminated on Thursday, October 8, when I heard President Trump go on national television twice and falsely attack me by name. Out of frustration, I sent a brief tweet addressed to Anthony Scaramucci. The next morning when I saw that this tweet had created a new controversy, I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked. These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible. I apologize.

"These actions have let down a lot of people, including my colleagues at C-SPAN, where I have worked for the past 30 years, professional colleagues in the media, and the team at the Commission on Presidential Debates. I ask for their forgiveness as I try to move forward in a moment of reflection and disappointment in myself."

C-SPAN was reflecting as well, but signaled there was a return path for Scully. 

"Steve Scully made us and the Commission aware of this new information late Wednesday" (Oct. 14), the network said in a statement. "By not being immediately forthcoming to C-SPAN and the Commission about his tweet, he understands that he made a serious mistake. We were very saddened by this news and do not condone his actions. During his 30 years at C-SPAN, Steve consistently demonstrated his fairness and professionalism as a journalist. He has built a reservoir of goodwill among those he has interviewed, fellow journalists, our viewers, and with us. Starting immediately, we have placed Steve on administrative leave. After some distance from this episode, we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN."

President Donald Trump's twitter attack on C-SPAN's Steve Scully as a "never Trumper" took on new life after a tweet from Scully's Twitter account appeared to seek guidance from Trump's former advisor Steve Scaramucci on whether he should respond to the President's tweet.

C-SPAN said the tweet seeking Scaramucci's advice was not from Scully, but instead the result of a hacked account.

Scully was to moderate the second presidential debate Oct. 15, but Trump pulled out after the Commission on Presidential Debates decided it should be a virtual debate due to the President's COVID-19. Democratic candidate Joe Biden has since said he would participate in an ABC town hall Oct. 15, moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

"Steve Scully, the second Debate Moderator, is a Never Trumper, just like the son of the great Mike Wallace. Fix!!!," the President tweeted. 

That was a reference to Chris Wallace, who moderated the first debate. Trump suggested he was debating both Wallace and Biden after the moderator asked him some tough questions and tried to keep him from talking over the former Vice President.

Trump's tweet came after a tweet from Scully's account Thursday night -- which C-SPAN has since claimed was not from Scully -- that appeared to be a direct tweet to Scaramucci asking him whether Scully should respond to the Trump attack.

"Last night a tweet from Steve Scully, C-SPAN's political editor, appeared on his timeline communicating with Anthony Scaramucci. Steve Scully did not originate the tweet and believes his account has been hacked. The Commission on Presidential Debates has stated publicly that the tweet was not sent by Scully himself and is investigating with the help of authorities."

While the C-SPAN tweet drew many replies, mostly skeptical of the hack claim, Washington Post political columnist Karen Tumulty tweeted praise for Scully's fairness as a journalist.

C-SPAN's Steve Scully has been tapped to moderate the second presidential debate, with Chris Wallace of Fox News hosting the first debate and Kristen Welker of NBC News the third.

That is according to the co-chairs of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which announced the moderators and locations of the upcoming presidential, and vice presidential, debates.

"This is the first time a C-SPAN person has moderated a presidential debate," said a C-SPAN spokesperson. Scully was the backup for all the 2016 debates.

"It is indeed an honor to be asked to moderate one of the three presidential debates of the 2020 campaign," said Scully of his selection. "It is also an important responsibility. In the final weeks of this historic campaign, this unique 'town hall' format will allow the American people to ask questions directly to the debate participants - the candidates vying for our nation's highest office. The questions will come from undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization and from social media. My focus is to effectively facilitate this important conversation between voters and the candidates."

All the debates will air at 9-10:30 p.m. ET without commercials.

Scully, who is senior executive producer and political editor for C-SPAN Networks, will moderate the Oct. 15 debate, which is being held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami.

The debate will be a town meeting format, with questions posed from South Floridians, with Scully facilitating further discussion after the candidates each have two minutes to respond to the questions from uncommitted voters.

Wallace will host the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 from Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in "Cleveland. The debate will be divided into six segments of about 15 minutes apiece, each on a different major topic selected by Wallace and announced at least a week prior to the event. Wallace will ask the questions and candidates will have two minutes to respond. Wallace will use the remaining time in each segment for "a deeper discussion."

Welker is hosting the third debate Oct. 22 from Belmont University in Nashville. The format will be the same as the first debate.

There will be a single vice presidential debate Oct. 7 from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and moderated by Susan Page of USA Today. The format will be nine segments of about 10 minutes each with each candidate getting two minutes to respond.

“We are grateful to these experienced journalists, who will help ensure that the general election presidential debates continue to serve their unique educational purpose of helping the public learn about the candidates," said co-chairs Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., Dorothy S. Ridings and Kenneth Wollack.

Steve Scully, C-SPAN’s senior executive producer and political editor, will emcee the 18th annual Cable Hall of Fame Celebration on Tuesday, May 5, at the Chicago Navy Pier, in conjunction with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s (NCTA) Internet and Television Expo (INTX).

Scully (pictured) is responsible for coordinating all aspects of C-SPAN’s campaign programming for C-SPAN, C-SPAN.org and C-SPAN Radio (heard nationwide on on Sirius XM Channel 120). He also serves as one of the regular hosts of its morning call-in show, Washington Journal, C-SPAN’s Newsmakers and C-SPAN Radio’s Washington Today program. He joined C-SPAN in 1990 as a political editor and White House producer. Scully served nine years on the executive board of the White House Correspondents’ Association, and was president from 2006-2007. He is also the past Amos B. Hostetter Chair at The Cable Center and University of Denver (DU), and taught an innovative and popular distance learning course on media, politics and public policy issues for a number of years in conjunction with DU, Purdue University, George Mason University and Suffolk University.

“We are honored to welcome Steve as emcee for this year’s Cable Hall of Fame Celebration, and are looking forward to a wonderful evening with industry friends and associates as we recognize our six honorees,” Larry Satkowiak, CEO of The Cable Center, said in a release.

The Cable Hall of Fame Celebration will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the induction ceremony. The event program will also include the presentation of the Bresnan Ethics in Business Award, honoring the late William J. Bresnan, to Decker Anstrom. A festive after party concludes the evening’s activities. For more information on the Cable Hall of Fame celebration, visit www.cablehalloffame.com or call 720-502-7500.