MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said Wednesday he would have told the Republican Party to "go straight to hell" if it had rigged the primary process against him the way Democrats have against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
"Why would Bernie Sanders politely get in line for the Democratic Party?" Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, asked. "I sure as hell wouldn't. If the party I was a member of treated me like this, rigged the debate process, rigged Iowa, rigged the entire thing thing forward ... I'd say, 'Go straight to hell, I'm running as an independent.'"
Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski added DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.) should "step down."
The Democrats are in a state of turmoil with Sanders stubbornly staying in the race, in spite of having essentially no path to the nomination at this point. His supporters caused an uproar at the Nevada State Democratic Convention over the weekend, and they even issued threats against the state's party chair and her family. DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.) condemned their behavior and blasted Sanders for not doing more to stop it.
Scarborough and the Morning Joe panel argued Wednesday that the process has been "rigged" in favor of Democratic establishment favorite Hillary Clinton from the start. Clinton has the edge over Sanders in the pledged delegate count, but she has a far wider advantage with the party officials and elected members known as "superdelegates."
"I would go out there, because I would be betraying my people," Scarborough said. "All of those people that gave me $25, $26, $27, to just play nice with the Democratic Party and fold yourself into a convention at the end, when the Democratic Party doesn't respect them."
GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump has also encouraged Sanders to run as an independent.
Note: This article has been updated.