Former GOP Congressman Mocks Homeless Man Using iPhone In Times Square

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A former Republican congressman who once said that Americans should invest in health care instead of the newest iPhone posted a picture to his social media feeds which appears to publicly shame a homeless man resting on the streets of Times Square.

Without any context, former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz posted a photo of the man on his Instagram page Monday with the caption: "NYC Times Sq 6:53am streaming video on a phone." Chaffetz, who currently works as a Fox News contributor, also posted the image on his Twitter page.

Chaffetz appears to be insinuating that the man would not be homeless if he didn't blow his money on a cellphone.

The cheapest model of the iPhone sells for a starting price of about $400, according to Apple. The median price of a home in New York City is currently $685,000 and the median rental price is $3,000, according to real estate listing website Zillow. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Chaffetz's post earned him backlash from social media users who questioned the former congressman's compassion.

"You don't know what this man's situation is. He may have turned homeless this week. Is he supposed to throw his phone away?" one Instagram user commented.

"How do you expect a homeless person to get a job and get off the streets if they don't have a phone? Shame on you, jerk," said another.

Fox News did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty Images