The US House of Representatives is grappling with a scandal involving Christopher Southerland, a 43-year-old sysadmin for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In early 2023, Southerland allegedly ordered 240 cell phones—significantly more than the 80 staffers he was supposed to supply. Instead of distributing them to committee members, he shipped them to his home in Maryland. Southerland reportedly sold over 200 of these phones to a local pawn shop, instructing them to resell the devices only for parts to bypass the House's mobile device management software, which could remotely control the phones. However, at least one of the phones ended up intact on eBay, where it was purchased by a member of the public. A call to the House IT help desk by this buyer eventually exposed the entire scheme, leading to scrutiny of Southerland's actions and raising questions about oversight within the House.