Overview

• Van Orden on August 6 posted a blurred photo on X of a naked man wearing a ski mask and carrying a sex toy, labeling him as Rep. Mark Pocan.
• The image was traced to a New York Post article about a man spotted nude in a Slovak castle and did not show Pocan.
• Pocan responded by accusing Van Orden of alcoholism and asking whether he was intoxicated again.
• The stunt extends a long-running public feud between the Wisconsin lawmakers that has included Capitol outbursts and a 2025 motorcycle stunt.
• Observers warn that such provocative social media tactics are heightening partisan spectacle and eroding congressional decorum.