On Monday, “Morning Joe” came to the defense of Rep. John Conyers (D – Michigan), who is facing pressure to resign from Congress after news emerged that he settled a 2015 sexual harassment claim from a female staffer.
The woman said she was fired after declining Conyer’s sexual advances.
However, co-host Mika Brzezinski called for “due process” rather than a hasty rush to judgment about the veteran politician, who has served in the U.S. House since 1965.
“I think it’s really important that the words due process have come up in this conversation,” said Brzezinski. “This one breaks my heart. It really does.”
Joe Scarborough agreed.
“How shocking, the word ‘due process’ actually enraged some people yesterday,” said Scarborough, referencing an interview given by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who also referred to the congressman as an “icon.”
Scarborough and Brzezinski also cited the 88-year-old congressman’s age as a mitigating factor.
The sudden legal parsing from the “Morning Joe” team stands in stark contrast to many on the network who have brushed aside legal trivialities.
Nicolle Wallace, another MSNBC anchor and sexual-harassment Robespierre, has bluntly said she has no interest in the denials of men or any pretense of innocence until proven guilty.
“There won’t be a trial. This is not a criminal situation,” she said earlier this month of the accusations of sexual misconduct against Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore. “We don’t wait for a preponderance of facts, we don’t wait for more evidence. You either believe the women or you don’t.”
Moore, like Conyers, has denied the allegations him.
In recent days, the growing web of sexual harassment allegations in media, politics and entertainment has his “Morning Joe” hard, felling show regular Mark Halperin and — for now — sidelining New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush, who had been a frequent contributor.
You can watch the full passionate Conyers defense above.