James Vito Barbieri II (commonly known as Vito Barbieri) (born October 22, 1951)[3] is an American politician and lawyer from Idaho. He is a RepublicanIdaho State Representative since 2010 representing District 3 in the A seat.[4]
He practiced law in California for 20 years.[6] Since moving to Idaho in 2004, he has operated several small businessess, including a catering business and owns an electronic cigarette store in Post Falls.[6]
Idaho House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Business Committee (chairman)
Local Government Committee
State Affairs Committee
Barbieri previously served on the Revenue and Taxation Committee from 2010 to 2012.
Barbieri came to national attention on February 23, 2015, after asking a doctor giving testimony if a woman could swallow a camera in order to undergo a remote gynecological exam and received the answer that such was not possible as swallowing a pill will not lead it to the vagina. In response to commentary on social media about the seeming anatomical confusion, he explained his remarks: "I was being rhetorical, because I was trying to make the point that equalizing a colonoscopy to this particular procedure was apples and oranges... So I was asking a rhetorical question that was designed to make her say that they weren't the same thing, and she did so. It was the response I wanted."[17][18]
However, upon receiving the explanation from the testifying doctor, Barbieri's response was, "Fascinating". The exchange included Barbieri's question: "Can this same procedure then be done in a pregnancy? Swallowing a camera and helping the doctor to determine what the situation is?" Dr. Julie Madsen, MD responded: "Mr. Chairman and Representative, it cannot be done in pregnancy simply because when you swallow a pill it would not end up in the vagina." Barbieri replied, "Fascinating. That certainly makes sense."[19][20]
