'Grounds for a lawsuit': MSNBC's Mika calls for legal consequences for Fox News coronavirus 'misinformation'

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski suggested Fox News might be liable for the deaths of viewers who trusted their "misinformation" about the deadly coronavirus.

Brzezinski and her "Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough were shocked that President Donald Trump's loyalists continue to downplay the outbreak -- which has already killed more than 2,500 Americans and wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy.

"I even heard people on television -- and I'm just shocked -- still suggesting this epidemic will only hit New York City and not Middle America," Scarborough said.

Brzezinski suggested those broadcasters and their guests could be held liable for their misleading claims.

"That's malpractice," she said. "That's grounds for a lawsuit. People delivering the news are supposed to be giving facts, not fiction. The viewers are there to trust them. If they get poor information, or they are misled to believe they can't get sick, and they get sick, exactly how is that not grounds for some sort of situation to arise? This is clear, and if anyone is trying to push against it, they are committing malpractice."