Television Host Accuses Senator Chris Murphy of 'Gaslighting' Over Candidate's Divisive Statements

Mika Brzezinski, a host on the morning program *NOW*, strongly criticized Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday, accusing him of employing "gaslighting" tactics. Her remarks followed the Democratic senator's evasive responses to inquiries about New York Democratic congressional nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier and a series of controversial statements she had made.

During an appearance on *Meet the Press* with guest host Ryan Nobles on Sunday, Senator Murphy indicated he was not "super familiar" with the specifics of the congressional race. However, he emphasized a desire for a broader range of ideas within the Democratic Party. This exchange occurred after he was presented with a campaign advertisement highlighting Avila Chevalier's history of contentious social media posts, which have since been removed. Among these posts was one expressing disdain for former President Joe Biden, even labeling him a "rapist."

Brzezinski's Critique and the 'Gaslighting' Accusation

Brzezinski questioned the senator's stance, observing the evolving nature of political discourse.

This is going to be an interesting issue, actually, for candidates on both sides of the aisle, because they’re now many of them are old enough to have past tweets and ridiculous statements, and voters are going to have to decide what the line is. What’s the dealbreaker in this case?

She immediately followed this by stating, "I think it’s pretty clear. Some of these statements are complete dealbreakers, and it’s not hard to say. It’s just not hard to say." Brzezinski then drew a parallel to past political cycles, recalling frustrations with those who supported former President Trump and later claimed ignorance regarding controversial policies.

And one of the most frustrating thing about Trump’s first presidency and his second, and folks who chose to vote for Trump the first time and then vote for him a second time, and then act shocked about the cruelty of the mass deportations, or to act shocked about the tariffs, or to say, 'well, I haven’t been watching the news. I don’t know about that one.'

She characterized such behavior as a form of "gaslighting," asserting:

That is like the most gaslighting experience one can ever, ever see throughout this entire political cycle or cycles because pretending you haven’t seen it is impossible — it’s an out.

Brzezinski then directly applied this criticism to Democratic figures, including Murphy. While acknowledging her personal regard for the senator, she urged:

And now to see a Democrat doing it — and I like, we both love Chris Murphy, we think he’s a great guy and serves our country. But don’t gaslight people! I mean, this story is out there.

Co-Host Calls for Accountability

Joe Scarborough, Brzezinski's co-host and husband, also voiced his disapproval of Senator Murphy's response on the social media platform X.

Scarborough conveyed a clear message to fellow Democrats, writing:

Memo to Democrats: Call out crazy even when it’s on your side—especially when it’s on your side. Voters will reward you for being better than Republicans.

He then directed attention to an X post that highlighted Avila Chevalier's controversial statements.

Details of the Controversial Candidate's Past Remarks

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer known for leading anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, had made numerous highly critical comments in now-deleted social media posts between 2018 and 2022. These posts reportedly condemned the United States, the Democratic Party, private property, law enforcement, and national borders, advocating for the nationalization of significant portions of the private sector.

According to a report from CNN, a repost by Avila Chevalier in 2021 declared that the abolition of borders, prisons, and police is "possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward." She also reportedly echoed sentiments stating "all deportation is wrong" and unequivocally, "Yes, literally abolish the border."

Further examples of her past comments include a post where she stated, "This country is a f-----g disgrace."

In another widely circulated comment, she reportedly said, "I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me."