Democratic Trump Supporter Goes Off on MSNBC Host Over 'Disgraceful' Question
Sparks flew on MSNBC when Trump supporter Vernon Jones went toe-to-toe with network host Craig Melvin, who asked if he is a paid surrogate for the White House.
Jones, a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives who announced his support for President Donald Trump in April, is engaged in open combat with his party over the endorsement.
That war of words carried over to MSNBC on Wednesday when Jones faced a gauntlet of questions from the liberal host and got heated when Melvin asserted Jones is being paid by the Trump campaign for his support.
After Melvin asked Jones if he is “being compensated” for his support of President Donald Trump, Jones fired back.
“Let me be clear. You get paid to shape a liberal narrative. You get paid to attack this president,” Jones told Melvin.
“I don’t get a dime for 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. When an African American –”
Jones was cut off by Melvin, who said, “Sir, I did not raise your race.”
“You only ask me that because I don’t fit your narrative. … I don’t want anything from this president,” Jones said.
“It’s what I can do for my country,” he continued, “and you need to accept that many other African-Americans and others support this president because of his policies. And to insult me, to say am I getting paid, that is disgraceful and that’s representative of MSNBC and their narrative to keep blacks silent who happen to support this president.”
Jones then demanded he receive fair treatment from the MSNBC host.
“Why can’t I be like white liberals or other whites, nobody questions if they’re getting paid. … So do you ask Democrats if they getting paid? Are you getting paid by Joe Biden?” he asked Melvin.
Jones shocked Democrats when he announced his support for the president in April.
The state legislator won the seat for Georgia’s 91st District in 2017.
That is one of the heaviest Democrat districts in the state, the party stronghold of Dekalb County.
In April, Jones told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he would completely back Trump, citing the president’s positive impacts on the lives of black Americans.
“Turn the lights off, I have left the plantation,” he said in a statement to the newspaper. “Someone else can occupy that suite. Therefore, I intend not to complete my term effective April 22, 2020.”
“It’s very simple to me. President Trump’s handling of the economy, his support for historically black colleges and his criminal justice initiatives drew me to endorse his campaign,” the legislator added.
Jones later walked back the announcement to vacate his seat.
Earlier this month, Jones called on his party to change its name, pointing out Democrats’ historical support for slavery and racial segregation.
If the Democrats are looking to eradicate every thing with a “racist history”, when will my party confront and apologize for its own?
If racist relics of the past must come down, shouldn’t we start with the Democrat Party? pic.twitter.com/wG4PgLNhVw
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) July 3, 2020
“If the Democrats are looking to eradicate every thing with a ‘racist history’, when will my party confront and apologize for its own?” he asked in a tweet.
“If racist relics of the past must come down, shouldn’t we start with the Democrat Party?”
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