'Smell the bipartisanship': Rachel Maddow roasts scandal-ridden California Democrats

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow denounced the group of Democratic California lawmakers who have been indicted for alleged corruption on Wednesday, pointing out that the ensuing scandals have cost the party both in the statehouse and in the eyes of the public.

"Today was basically Democratic catch-up day on the reasons why the word 'politician' has become an insult in our country," she said. "Today the Democrats did their part. Smell the bipartisanship. Seriously, smell it."

For months, Maddow explained, scandals involving Republican elected officials like Chris Christie,Pat McCrory,Scott Walker and others loomed large.

But now it's state Democrats like Rep. Leland Yee, and Senators Ronald Calderon and Ronald Wright getting busted, leading to their party losing its supermajority in California.

"Out of 40 state senators total, out of 28 Democratic state senators there are now three Democratic state senators with federal criminal indictments against them just this session, resulting already in eight felony convictions," she said. "And yes, the Republican Party is essentially defunct in most of California and probably beyond reviving, but if anything can bring them back, it's probably days like this."

Making matters worse, she said, is the fact that neither Calderon nor Wright have left their seat, and state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D) has refused to oust them, saying that Wright "is not a convicted felon," despite being convicted on eight felony counts of voter fraud and perjury in January.

"Being convicted of a felony is usually what people think makes you a convicted felon," Maddow said mockingly. "I don't know, apparently that's splitting hairs to California Senate Democrats, so the California Senate Democrats voted to let the felon keep his seat in the state Senate. And he still holds it today."

Watch Maddow's commentary, as aired on Wednesday, below.