One-time Republican congressman and frequent presidential cable news foil Joe Scarborough announced Tuesday night that he would leave the GOP.
In an appearance on CBS’ “Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, Scarborough pointed to several of Donald Trump’s actions — his campaign-era Muslim ban proposal, his feigned ignorance of white supremacist David Duke, his attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel due to Curiel’s heritage — that he said the party had failed to confront.
“Time and time and time again, they turn the other way. And they’re doing the same thing now,” he said.
.@JoeNBC announced that he’s leaving #GOP to become an Independent. @StephenAtHome‘s full interview with Joe and @morningmika airs tonight! pic.twitter.com/OhLgXvYakH
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) July 11, 2017
“I am a Republican but I’m not going to be a Republican anymore,” Scarborough said. “I’ve got to become an independent.”
Scarborough and his “Morning Joe” co-host, Mika Brzezinski, have seen ratings spike amid frequent spats — and Twitter flame wars — with the President.
Most recently, the pair appeared to accuse members of Trump’s administration of blackmail after they allegedly urged Scarborough to apologize to Trump for covering him harshly in exchange for Trump asking the National Enquirer to kill a story about the television personalities.
