Editor's note: An earlier version of this article reported MSNBC host Joe Scarborough's claims about Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) without context. This version has been updated to note Scarborough's accusations about Jordan are opinion, presented without evidence.
For those who thought Kevin McCarthy performed poorly as House speaker, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough declared Wednesday that things "can always get worse."
But the "Morning Joe" host, along with his counterpart and wife, Mike Brzezinski, unfairly linked Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) — a candidate for House Speaker — to the overthrow of the U.S. government and physical destruction of the U.S. Capitol building.
The House of Representatives will vote Tuesday on electing a new speaker, and Jordan has been nominated by the Republican caucus and endorsed by former president Donald Trump to succeed the ousted McCarthy. Scarborough, however, believes Jordan would be a threat to democracy — though his allegation that he "conspired to overthrow the American government" remains idle speculation.
"A conservatives always say, you think it can't get worse?" Scarborough said. "Oh, it can always get worse. You don't think it can get worse than Russia after Putin? Oh, I most certainly assure you, it can get far worse. You don't think it can get worse in Washington, D.C., with Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House?"
"We may be about five hours away from the Republican Party selecting a guy that conspired to overthrow the American government," Scarborough claimed, without evidence. His co-host Brzezinski piled on, adding, "and destroy that building."
There is no evidence Jordan conspired to destroy the Capitol building. Liberals, however, assert that Jordan conspired to keep Trump in office through illegal means.
Former Federal prosecutor and MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner noted on his audible podcast, "Justice Matters," that Jordan promulgated false claims about election fraud, attended "Stop the Steal" rallies, and met directly with some of the officials implicated in trying to stop the certification of states. That said, Scarborough's attempts to link Jordan to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin aren't based in fact, and Jordan hasn't been convicted of any conspiracy to overthrow the American government.
Watch the video below or at this link.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
