Rep. Jim Himes (D., Conn.), a Hillary Clinton supporter, was grilled Thursday on MSNBC’s Morning Joe by host Mika Brzezinski over whether controversy surrounding the Clinton Foundation is a "fake scandal."
Brzezinski, a Democrat, pressed Himes repeatedly on the issue and his claim that he is confident no evidence will emerge before the end of the election proving that there was any wrongdoing.
"So, the email controversy. Is it a fake scandal? Really?" Brzezinski asked.
"We’re talking about the email controversy we’ve been talking about for a year, that the FBI director said was, you know, not subject to prosecution," Himes said.
"So you think it’s a fake scandal?" Brzezinski asked.
"Well look, the secretary made a pretty clear apology, more clear lately actually than some time ago and said she regrets doing it," Himes responded. "I feel the same way. It should never have, this server should never have been in the home. She should have used the official email, but, you know, I think she’s owned up to that. It is, I think, time now to move onto some real issues."
"We have got trust numbers showing this has really had an impact unless it was something else and she’s competing against Donald Trump," Brzezinski said. "This should be done deal."
"What does it say about a candidate who can’t keep her email as secretary of state to regulation and has that drag out for years?" Brzezinski asked. "What does it say about a candidate who can’t do that, and what does it say about a candidate who can’t stop doing business with foreign countries through her foundation as secretary of state? What does it say about the candidate?"
"Well look, that’s just not accurate that she stopped, that she was doing business, that there was a connection to the Clinton Foundation," Himes said. "I mean, you know, we’ve now been talking about this for 48 hours and nobody, nobody has surfaced one example of when somebody got something of real value from the State Department because they made a contribution to the Clinton Foundation."
This answer did not satisfy Brzezinski, who continued pushing Himes on the matter.
"There was business happening. There were contributions happening. You’re now saying, ‘Please don’t deduce that it influenced her ability to conduct foreign policy,’" Brzezinski said. "I’m saying what does it say about a candidate who can’t keep her email to regulation as secretary of state, her email, her email to regulation as secretary of state and also cannot keep her foundation at least to the appearance of not being sketchy and doing business with foreign–Come on! I just want to know what it says about the candidate."
"On the email, so I think on the email point, I think what is true is what she has owned up to, which was that it was sloppy. It wasn’t fully thought out, and it shouldn’t have happened and she regrets it. That’s what it says. But this idea, again, with the Clintons, you got to remember, there are 30 years here of foaming at the mouth, conservative conspiracy theories," Himes said.
This upset Brzezinski, who went off on Himes, citing her own political affiliation.
"I’m a Democrat and I’m not foaming at the mouth!" Brzezinski said. "I‘ve got questions and concerns."
"Rose Law Firm, airstrips in Arkansas, and now, of course, this Clinton Foundation thing, where, yes of course there’s the potential for a conflict of interest there, but not anybody in the 48 hours we’ve spent talking about this on the national media has said here is somebody who actually got something of value because they made a contribution to the Clinton Foundation," Himes said.
"Are you a thousand percent convinced nothing will come out between now and November that shows that?" Brzezinski asked.
"Well, I can’t predict the future," Himes said.
"Exactly," Brzezinski said.