MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin brawled with Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones (D), an outspoken pro-Trump Democrat, on Wednesday in an interview that flew completely off the handle.
The throwdown began when Melvin slammed Jones’ arguments as to why President Donald Trump was better for the Black community than former President Barack Obama.
“I like to traffic in facts, and much of what you just said is patently false,” Melvin snapped as the Georgia Democrat tried to speak over him. “Representative Jones, this is my show, I’ll ask questions.”
Then Jones exploded when the MSNBC host asked him if he was being paid by the Trump campaign.
“Let me be clear: You get paid to shape a liberal narrative. You get paid to attack this president,” the Democrat retorted. “I don’t get a dime from this president. I don’t get a dime from the campaign. Everything I’ve done has been me and based on my principles.”
“See, that’s the problem,” he added. “When an African-American-”
Melvin cut him off sharply: “Sir, I did not raise your race. You’re not going to imply I asked that question because you’re black.”
“So don’t ask me that,” Jones fired back. “You only ask me that because I don’t fit your narrative.”
He went on to accuse MSNBC of trying to “keep Blacks silent who happen to support this president” in a rant against the network.
Soon Melvin had enough of Jones’ tirade.
“Representative Jones, thank you. Do come back, an open invitation,” he told the lawmaker before moving on to a new segment.
The thunderous interview came several months after Jones announced in April that he was resigning from office, claiming that he had been “attacked and harassed” by the Democratic Party over his support for Trump.
24 hours later, the Georgia lawmaker walked back his decision and declared that he “will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission.”
Watch Melvin and Jones’ exchange below:
Pro-Trump Democrat gets into a heated argument with MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin. pic.twitter.com/F1XWQincOQ
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) July 29, 2020
