Shots aimed at 'miserable' Astros during Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court hearing

WASHINGTON (KTRK) -- In a sign that the Houston Astros won't be able to live down their sign-stealing scheme anytime soon, the scandal was curiously mentioned disparagingly during the third day of Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

When Senate Judiciary member Ben Sasse of Nebraska got his turn to ask the nominee his questions, he brought up the Astros.

"I'd like to talk about the Houston Astros, who are miserable cheaters," the GOP senator said, before apologizing to both of his Texas colleagues in the committee. "Sorry, uh, (John) Cornyn, (Ted) Cruz."

He continued, "I think all baseball fans know that the Houston Astros cheat. They steal signs. They bang on cans. They've done a whole bunch of miserable things historically, and they deserve to be punished probably more than they have been."

In a response off camera, Cornyn said, "Thank goodness the First Amendment protects that right of his erroneous opinion." The retort was welcomed with some laughs from Sasse and Barrett.

Cruz, a Houston resident, also chimed in, saying, "It was going so well."

Sasse then goes into the point of bringing up the team, referring to the Astros potentially being desperate in an elimination game and possibly finding ways to change the rules. He uses that analogy to ask whether Barrett would be inclined for partiality if faced with a case.

Nevertheless, the Astros being mentioned during the high-profile confirmation hearing is the latest shot aimed at Houston and their fanbase.

One of their biggest fans who is also in the political arena, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, took a shot of his own at Sasse.

"Senator Ben Sasse, Nebraska, took time at the hearing to call out the Houston Astros as cheaters. What do you call the Senate majority that is going against its own principles to rush through an appointment while people are already voting. What a hypocritical lesson for kids," Turner tweeted, invoking criticism of GOP members regarding the rapidly coordinated hearings in the wake of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death.

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Astros apologize after sign-stealing scandal

"I'm really sorry about the choices that were made by my team, my organization and me," Alex Bregman said.

Astros GM, manager fired after 2017 sign-stealing investigation

"We need to move forward with a clean slate and the Astros will become a stronger organization because of this today," said Astros owner Jim Crane. "You can be confident that we will always do the right thing and we will not have this happen again on my watch."