Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough called out Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as he scolded him for piling on Democratic colleagues whose video telling troops to refuse illegal orders prompted President Donald Trump to furiously brand “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.”
A 90-second video released on Tuesday showcases six Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds, reminding military viewers that they ‘“all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,” and that “you can refuse illegal orders, you must refuse illegal orders.”
“No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution,” they added.
The message sparked an immediate and incendiary reaction from Trump, who then took to Truth Social on Thursday to declare the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL” and branding the lawmakers as “TRAITORS.” A third message escalated further: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
Trump also reposted a comment asserting: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”
Graham, a reliable ally of the president, broke with him on the issue, saying he opposed the president’s stance even though he viewed the video circulated by Democrats as “despicable.”
“I think what they did was despicable. I don’t agree with the president [that] they should be put in jail, but I do believe what they did was despicable and they need to explain themselves,” Graham told ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott.
However, during Friday’s Morning Joe, Scarborough called out Graham for his take on the video. The tirade came after his guest, retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, pointed out Graham’s past as a JAG lawyer in Iraq.
Scarborough unloaded, calling the senator’s remarks “pathetic” and “sad”:
Lindsey knows better. I mean, and that’s what’s so pathetic about it. It’s sad. I know Lindsey and I’ve known Lindsey for a long time. He’s been a friend, but Lindsey knows better. These Republicans on Capitol Hill know better. Getting angry at anybody for telling troops, “Don’t commit illegal acts” – it’s just nonsensical.
Rounding on Trump, Scarborough argued that the president’s outburst was an attempt to “distract” from collapsing approval ratings and the upcoming release of the Jeffrey Epstein files:
And then Donald Trump, because he’s trying to distract from the Epstein files, he’s trying to distract from the fact that he has the lowest approval rating that he’s had in the second term. He’s trying to distract from the fact that Democrats have the largest generic ballot lead that I can remember in my lifetime, 54 to 41. He’s trying to distract from the fact that only 1 in 3 Americans say that they think Donald Trump is handling the government the right way. You can go on and on and on. But again, go back to the Epstein file, something that he wants to desperately take off. So what do you do? You just say: “Hey, these senators should be executed because they’re actually stating law” – that you can’t commit illegal actions.
The host didn’t stop, and continued to send out a warning to Republicans and “cable news” hosts, who he said “should be saluting” the Democratic lawmakers:
It’s very simple unless you’re very stupid or unless you’re just following the orders of the strongman on cable news channels. On cable news channels, you’re not that stupid, folks. You know, it’s like Romper Room, I can put up my mirror and I can see through you. You’re not that stupid. Stop blindly going along with this, same thing with Republicans and come on, Lindsey, you of all people know that troops cannot commit illegal actions and you should be saluting your colleagues for telling them, “Don’t commit illegal actions.”
Watch above via MS NOW.
The post ‘You of All People Know!’ Joe Scarborough Scolds ‘Pathetic’ Lindsey Graham for Trashing Dems’ ‘Illegal Orders’ Video first appeared on Mediaite.
