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Rohrabacher Threatens to Walk Off Morning Joe When Pressed on Syria and Russia

December 13, 2016

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.) threatened to walk of MSNBC's Morning Joe on Tuesday after he accused host Joe Scarborough of asking him a question based on false premises. The question was about Syrian and Russian airstrikes on civilians in Aleppo, Syria.

When Scarborough brought up the Russian and Syrian airstrikes, which are killing many civilians, Rohrabacher appeared to defend Russia and Syria.

"Dana, how did the United States sit back and do absolutely nothing as Assad was slaughtering his people and the Russians stepped in and joined in on that slaughter?" Scarborough asked. "Why did we do nothing?"

"Well, that's a question that's based on false premises as far as I'm concerned," Rohrabacher responded.

"No, it's not," Scarborough said. "No, it's not."

"Wait a minute, you want me to answer your question?" Rohrabacher asked

"No, I just don't want you to lie on my television show," Scarborough responded.

Scarborough and Rohrabacher squabbled more before the congressman threatened to walk off the show.

"Are you saying the Russians didn't target women and children in Aleppo?" Scarborough asked.

"Are you going to let me answer?" Rohrabacher said. "You going to let me talk and answer your question or are you going to interrupt again?"

"I just asked you the question again. I asked you the question and you said it was a false premise," Scarborough shot back.

"Okay, goodbye! goodbye! If you're not going to let me say anything, it's goodbye!" Rohrabacher shouted as he began to pull out his earpiece.

Some critics see Rohrabacher as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's biggest supporters in Congress, which came up as an issue amid speculation that President-elect Donald Trump might nominate him for secretary of state.

Rohrabacher recently accused a journalist of being biased against Russia because her family fled from the Soviet Union and said that she could not ask him questions fairly.

Rohrabacher is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, which frequently deals with matters involving Russia.