Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) has found herself in the middle of a minor controversy surrounding Wednesday night's CNN/YouTube GOP presidential debate.

Harman's chief of staff has gone so far as to release a statement distancing the congresswoman from one of the questioners at the debate. The questioner, a college student named Ted Faturos, used a stage prop in his YouTube question -- taking a bite out of a corn cob while asking about farm subsidies (watch it below).

But Faturos was "outed" as a former Harman intern on this random blog. (Faturos prominently lists his qualification as a former Harman intern on his LinkedIn page.

The outing created enough buzz that Harman's office put out the following press release distancing the senior lawmaker from the kid who once interned for her:

Washington, D.C. -- John Hess, Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice), released the following statement on Ted Faturos, a questioner at last night's YouTube Republican debate on CNN:

"I am currently Congresswoman Harman's Chief of Staff and was in the summer of 2004 as well. Ted Faturos was a high school intern in our district office for the summer of 2004 only and has had no connection to the office or contact with the Congresswoman since."

Seems like much ado over a kid eating corn on the cob.

By Mary Ann Akers  |  November 29, 2007; 4:33 PM ET
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