‘You Sound Like You’re On the Trump Campaign!’ NJ Gov. Murphy Tussles With CNBC’s Kernen in Heated Skirmish Over Election

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) got in a heated debate with CNBC anchor Joe Kernen over the governor’s support for Kamala Harris in the election.

Kernen started the conversation during a Wednesday airing of the the Squawk Box by asking Murphy about whether he supports a series of left-wing policy positions — including; ending the filibuster, ending cash bail, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, taxing unrealized gains, and paying for child gender reassignment surgery.

After Murphy declared he wants the filibuster ended, the CNBC anchor pressed him tax policy by asking if he should be paying 80% for income taxes.

“Well, you know, I live in your state, Governor. Do you think if I pay 55% total, is that fair for me or do I need to pay 80%? Well, what would be fair for you,” Kernan asked.

Murphy responded by telling Kernen “you sound like you’re on the Trump campaign” before later adding he’s open minded about having a “very progressive tax system.”

The interview then shifted to a debate about “lawfare” and whether the Justice Department was being weaponized by the Biden administration to target former President Donald Trump.

KERNEN: What are you wild about? Not Trump.

MURPHY: Here’s here’s what I’m wild about. I’m wild about a democracy that works, wild about the rich history of our country continuing for the future. I’m wild about opponents having a voice and having a seat at the table as opposed to being thrown in jail or hunted down by our military. That’s what I’m wild about.

KERNEN: But we might throw Trump in jail. The Justice Department was not weaponized under Trump. It’s been weaponized under the current administration. Right?

MURPHY: I mean, Joe, come on. You’ve got to be kidding me.

KERNEN: Okay. I don’t know. I haven’t seen Trump throw anyone in jail. But I have seen a lot of lawfare against the against Trump.

MURPHY: There’s no rational viewer right now watching this discussion that thinks that Harris is the authoritarian threat versus Trump. There’s no one who’s reasonable, who comes down in that conclusion. How could you?… Joe, I’m having a hard time believing we’re having this conversation. Are you kidding me? Did you see what happened on Sunday in Madison Square Garden? Have you followed what he said about what he’s going to do against his enemies?

KERNEN: Joe Biden said last night that all the Trump supporters are garbage and that wasn’t a joke. That was that was the president sitting president of the United States. And that wasn’t some comedian that no one knew what he was going to say. That was Biden himself. Did you see that? Trump supporters are garbage?

Andrew Ross Sorkin then stepped in to added, “I do want to just say one thing to contextualize it, because there’s one and one important point to be made. President Trump, when he was the president of United States did seek to prosecute Comey and Hillary Clinton and his own Department of Justice refused to do it. But he asked them to do it.”

Sorkin added, “I hope I can say that apolitically, if that’s even possible.”

“Come on Andrew!” Kernen replied — before the segment came to an awkward end.

Watch the clip above via CNBC.