Russian news site interrupts C-SPAN

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Moscow, we have a problem.

Web surfers expecting to tune into C-SPAN's online feed of debate in the House on Thursday instead saw images supplied by the Russian news site RT, which briefly interrupted programming on the network's website.

Spokesman Howard Mortman said the website, www.c-span.org , was replaced by RT for about 10 minutes. The problem was likely a routing issue, since RT is one of the networks that C-SPAN regularly monitors, he said.

The network is "investigating and troubleshooting this occurrence," Mortman said.

The programming glitch came hours after a power outage interrupted a Senate confirmation hearing for Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., to head the CIA. The hearing reconvened in a different room.

The Architect of the Capitol's office said a local power company "de-energized" a system that feeds power to the Hart Senate Office Building. The office said the power company, Pepco, quickly restored the lost power.

The architect's office said it is examining the surge-breaker that was unexpectedly affected by the planned Pepco work.