Dem Rep. Actually Accuses Martin Bashir of 'Collaborating' With the Tea Party – Here's Why

Congressman Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) accused MSNBC’s Martin Bashir of collaborating with the Tea Party Friday because the cable news host dared to question the congressman’s decision to send out an email linking the Tea Party to the Ku Klux Klan.

The congressman’s comments were prompted by Bashir repeatedly questioning the appropriateness of the email.

“How can you possibly compare racist epithets with racist actions of the KKK, which actually led to racist murders?” the host asked.

“I’m pleased that we haven’t gone so far as to see those murders,” the Florida congressman responded, “but the analogy holds to that degree.”

“But how many young black and white civil rights workers has the Tea Party lynched?” Bashir asked.

“Sometimes analogies are imperfect.”

“Do you accept that that may have been an inappropriate analogy?”

“No."

Bashir then compared Grayson to some of the “incendiary” elements of the Republican Party.

“Don’t you yourself thereby debase your own party by arguing on their level?” Bashir asked.

“Do you think that racism is the same as calling out racism?” Grayson said. “Do you think that my effort to end racism in America is somehow analogous to racism itself? That’s ridiculous.”

Shortly after that, the congressman accused Bashir of perhaps being in league with the Tea Party.

“The point I’m making is that if you don’t speak out against it, then in effect, you’re collaborating with it,” he said. “And, in fact, if you give someone like me a hard time for speaking out against it, then maybe you’re collaborating with it.”

Here’s the full segment:

(H/T: Washington Free Beacon)

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