MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski on Monday accused Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) of gaslighting the public by avoiding condemnation of Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier for her controversial social media posts. Brzezinski's remarks came during a segment on "Morning Joe," where she and co-host Joe Scarborough criticized Murphy for what they called a MAGA-like evasion.
Brzezinski and Scarborough Call Out Murphy
Chevalier, who won a Democratic primary in New York, had posted tweets calling Joe Biden a rapist, using the F-word toward Kamala Harris, suggesting white people avoid interracial relationships, claiming U.S. bullying provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and mocking Israeli soldiers for donating hair to cancer patients in Gaza. She has since expressed regret for the posts, which were deleted.
When asked about Chevalier's comments on NBC's "Meet the Press," Murphy replied, "I'm not super familiar with that race." This response sparked outrage from Scarborough, who tweeted on Sunday: "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?? Memo to Democrats: Call out crazy even when it’s on your side—especially when it’s on your side."
Brzezinski's Gaslighting Accusation
On Monday's show, Brzezinski expanded on the issue, stating that voters will have to decide what constitutes a "deal-breaker" in candidates' past statements. 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." She then drew a parallel to Republicans who claimed ignorance of Trump's actions, calling it "the most gaslighting experience one can ever see." She added, "Now to see a Democrat doing it – and I like, we both love Chris Murphy, we think he’s a great guy and serves our country. But don’t gaslight people."
Context of Chevalier's Primary Win
Chevalier was among several progressive candidates endorsed by democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani who won congressional primaries in New York. Her past posts have drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle, with some Democrats calling for her to be disavowed. The incident highlights the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party about how to handle controversial figures and statements.
