Add The New York Post on Google MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski blasted Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) for not denouncing a controversial Mamdani-endorsed democratic socialist – urging Dems to “call out crazy” within their own party.
During MS NOW’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, Murphy feigned ignorance when he was asked about Darializa Avila Chevalier, the contentious House candidate who called former President Joe Biden a “rapist” and “war criminal” and questioned Israel’s right to exist in since-deleted social media posts.
“Yeah, well, I mean, I’m not super familiar with that race. All I’m saying is that this party has to have a real contest of ideas and I just don’t think that our defense of incrementalism has worked, so I don’t mind a contest of ideas,” Murphy told MS NOW fill-in host Ryan Nobles.
“I will say, though, what binds together I think every Democratic candidate that is running, including the ones in New York, is that they are standing up to protect American democracy, and right now, the biggest threat to this country are not a handful of House candidates in New York.”
In a tweet Sunday, Scarborough slammed Murphy for not taking a stand against the contentious left-winger – accusing Dems who refuse to criticize their own party of hypocrisy.
“This is what frightened Republicans do when confronted with horrid things Donald Trump has said. Now Democratic senators are saying this about a congressional candidate who accused Joe Biden of rape?? Stop. Now,” Scarborough wrote.
“Yeah, well, I mean, I’m not super familiar with that race.”This is what frightened Republicans do when confronted with horrid things Donald Trump has said. Now Democratic senators are saying this about a congressional candidate who accused Joe Biden of rape??Stop. Now.
“Memo to Democrats: Call out crazy even when it’s on your side – especially when it’s on your side. Voters will reward you for being better than Republicans,” he wrote, adding: “Be better than Trump’s cowards.”
During MS NOW’s “Morning Joe” Monday, Brzezinski also slammed Murphy’s weak comments – accusing him of “gaslighting” American voters.
“Voters are gonna have to decide where the line is, what’s the deal breaker,” she said. “In this case, I think it’s pretty clear. Some of these statements are complete deal breakers and it’s not hard to say.”
Brzezinski said “one of the most frustrating things” is when people who repeatedly voted for President Trump “act shocked about the cruelty of the mass deportations” or “act shocked about the tariffs,” claiming they haven’t been watching the news.
“That is the most gaslighting experience one can ever, ever see … because pretending you haven’t seen it is impossible. It’s an out, and now to see a Democrat doing it – and we both love Chris Murphy, we think he’s a great guy and serves our country, but don’t gaslight people,” she added.
Avila Chevalier, 32, recently defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the Dem primary race for the seat covering Uptown Manhattan and part of the Bronx, after Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed her bid.
Following her shocking victory, the contentious left-winger told MS NOW’s Ali Velshi that she “regrets” the hundreds of social media posts she made between 2018 and 2022, admitting they caused “a lot of division” during her campaign.
In those posts, Avila Chevalier wrote “f–k Kamala Harris,” slammed Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “liberal Zionism,” condemned interracial relationships and called for abolishing the police, prisons and borders, as well as the seizing of private property.
She also questioned Israel’s right to exist and attended a pro-Palestinian protest the day after Hamas attacked Israel, where some attendees reportedly suggested the attack was justified.
Former New York City Comptroller and House candidate Brad Lander, who won his own New York primary, has referred to that rally as “heinous,” saying organizers “spoke about Hamas in ways that I just thought were vile.”
