Alan Grayson gets into heated spat with MSNBC anchor

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

In a combatitve interview on MSNBC Saturday, Senate candidate Rep. Alan Grayson and correspondent Joy-Ann Reid squabbled about an ongoing ethics investigation into the Florida Democrat's hedge fund.

Grayson has been accused of improperly managing a hedge fund, not disclosing all his finances and conducting business deals with the federal government that would be conflicts of interest. Grayson has dismissed a recent congressional report on his alleged violations, arguing the findings show he's innocent.

"You're forcing a lot of bad facts and untruths into your questions, and I have to stop and correct you each time," Grayson said to Reid Saturday during the interview. "You and Harry Reid both need to stick to the truth," he said, alluding to comments from the House Minority Leader that he needs to resign over the allegations.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/279925-rep-alan-grayson-gets-into-heated-spat-with-msnbc-anchor

---

I saw this "interview" on TV. The MSNBC host (Joy-Ann Reid) wasn't really asking questions but throwing false accusations at Rep Grayson and then not allowing him to respond, by talking over him and throwing out more accusations.

[djean111]

1. Grayson is the only thing keeping me registered as a Democrat.

So I can vote for him against Patrick Murphy (FL-DINO) in August.

[silvershadow]

20. Grayson was one of the only ones speaking truth to power during

Those God-awful Bush years. I haven't heard enough yet to be worried he has a problem. I still like him a bunch. I donated to his campaign this cycle. The alternative is an absolute DINO. Go, Alan.

[jknudsen]

2. Donated

Yesterday $ 20.27

[pbmus]

21. He is worth at least 30 million

Use your money to buy yourself a good dinner.

[Omaha Steve]

26. Forbes: The Mystery Of Hillary's Missing Millions

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2015/09/29/the-mystery-of-hillarys-missing-millions/#6b089b615505

Since Bill and Hillary Clinton left the White House in 2001, they have earned more than $230 million. But in federal filings the Clintons claim they are worth somewhere between $11 million and $53 million. After layering years of disclosures on top of annual tax returns, Forbes estimates their combined net worth at $45 million. Where did all of the money go? No one seems to know, and the Clintons aren’t offering any answers.

From 2001 to 2014 the power couple spent $95 million on taxes. Hillary’s 2008 presidential run cost her $13 million. Their two homes cost a combined $5 million, and the Clintons have given away $22 million to charity. All of this is according to FEC filings, property records and years of tax returns. Add it up and you get $135 million. If the Clintons made $230 million, spent $135 million and have just $45 million left over, what happened to the other $50 million?

“That’s kind of strange,” says Joe Biden’s accountant, Walter Deyhle. “You have to report all of your assets. You have to report assets that are owned by your spouse.”

It seems unlikely that the Clintons could have spent all of it. Over 14 years $50 million averages out to $3.6 million in extra expenses per year, or $9,800 per day.

FULL story at FORBES link!

[pbmus]

34. If the Clintons were not worth millions, I would really be asking Why

They have been at the top of our political class for their lifetimes.

[w4rma]

39. You can't get rich in politics unless you're a crook. - President Harry S. Truman (nt)

[pbmus]

42. "In or Out of politics" is the question you should ask.

When you get paid a quarter million for an hour speech .. You really don't have to give to many to = a million...

[w4rma]

44. I don't believe, for a second, that they were paying for the speeches. They were paying her for

'future' favors.

[pbmus]

45. Fer Christmas sakes, of course you are correct that is what politics is about ...

[w4rma]

46. President Jimmy Carter Blasts U.S. ‘Political Bribery’

Former President Jimmy Carter spoke with the Thom Hartmann Program earlier this week about “political bribery” in the United States, saying it’s created “a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jimmy-carter-us-politics_us_55bbb3c9e4b0d4f33a02ae2b

[pbmus]

48. I love President Carter for his post presidency accomplishments

Last edited Sun May 15, 2016, 03:15 AM - Edit history (1)

But I will never forgive him for Reagan economics. ..

You might also ask yourself, Why did the media elite propel an obscure farmer from Georgia to the US president ????????????

And cmon now, everyone knows political bribery just started in the new millennium , this citizens united thingy was just our courts saying it was legal....

[Omaha Steve]

57. Release the transcripts and we will know who she serves

[kcjohn1]

3. Joy Reid is doing the work of the devil

Such shame. I think I prefer the hacks at Fox News to those on MSNBC. At least they don't give the appearance of being "progressive".

[Judi Lynn]

7. Comcast has destroyed MSNBC.

People with ethics don't have the cash to buy networks or newspapers and expect them to tell the truth, so we are learning we're going to do without it, unless we can arrange a great "word-of-mouth" news delivery throughout the world.

The people with the money also own the military to keep us all in line.

It's so damned strange, isn't it?

[wordpix]

27. Absurd, he's running a Cayman islands hedgefund out of his office

Joy asked him questions about that and be was rude, obnoxious and kept telling her the questions were wrong. He's gone off the rails.

[JonLeibowitz]

40. I haven't seen evidence he is running it out of his office.

However, is a politician running a hedge fund from his home even legal?!?

[djean111]

59. probably more legal than running the State Department from a private server in the basement or

bathroom. Gosh, look who is above the law!

[Omaha Steve]

4. Donate to DU for Grayson for US Senate here

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/duforgrayson

[Doitnow]

10. After hearing this interview earlier today,

I also donated to Grayson. He was calm, cool and collected and Joy got nowhere. I used to like her, but I guess she wants to keep her job with MSNBC so this is what she has to do.

[silvershadow]

25. Thank you for this! I will within just a few hours at most. I made a vow

to myself awhile back to help him a little, every time some bs thing happens to him or some shitty poster says something about him. I saw a shitty poster earlier, and this interview was shitty, so I definitely will.

[Plucketeer]

5. Joy Reid

Establishment Hack

[silvershadow]

24. I don't know if she is or isn't that, but she seems confident in Hillary's

ability to beat charges. Say, for the sake of argument, she is correct. I will giver her that whole set of circumstances. Where I can't go from there is that Hillary is the best prepared one to take on Trump in his theoretical wheelhouse. Trends show Bernie's numbers climbing and Hillary's lines declining in that area. If people were actually buying her message, that wouldn't actually be happening. In addition, there are still some irregularities to be sorted out..in most states. I'm not actually sure I"m even buying the idea that Bernie hasn't been the clear front runner for months now.

[Miles Archer]

64. I hate to beat a dead horse here, BUT...

...everything I have predicted so far has come true, especially in the matter of Sheldon Adelson lining up behind Trump.

The "talking point" from the Clinton campaign has basically been that Trump is a clown and they are going to whip his ass.

I'm not convinced of that.

See, the problem is that Trump's followers never question the authenticity of his words...they just accept him at face value.

What I see ahead is an attack on Clinton that will make the Kerry Swift Boating atrocities seem like a Kumbaya moment.

I'm not kidding...anyone who thinks that Trump "won't go there" on ANY aspect of Clinton's past and present hasn't been paying attention.

And I generally don't follow or believe in polls, but the current RCP average is Clinton +5.7 (with a low of +2 from Gravis and Rasmussen, and a high of +13 from CNN/ORC. (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html)

For me, those numbers are too close for comfort.

[Hoyt]

6. As long as you endorse Sanders, you can be a crooked hedge funder operater. Gotta love politics.

[libdem4life]

9. Does the name Mezvinski ring a bell? You know, glass houses and all.

Betting on Greek austerity...oops.

[silvershadow]

23. +1

[Blue_Tires]

71. I know the Mezvinski threads had a couple hundred responses

while Grayson has mostly gotten a pass here...

I also know that Mezvinski isn't an elected official running for fucking office, so there's that, too

[libdem4life]

72. Did he lose all of his investor's money...go belly up?

Did he "bet" on the misery of a country?"

And after reading the article, I didn't see anything about the people who lost money. It seemed to be pretty much about the same thing that HRC gets away with. At least he isn't, um, putting money through a Foundation.

So someone is welcome to show me how Chelsea's husband comes out on top here. And I fail to see what running for office has to do with it. All candidates have other jobs, many of which are attorneys. And we all know how that rolls.

[Renew Deal]

8. How can someone support both Bernie Sanders and Alan Grayson without being a complete hypocrite?

[msanthrope]

11. The same way Bernie can take money from Super pacs. Nt

[Doitnow]

12. I hope that someone posts a video of this "interview." If you listen to it,

you will have a better understanding of the situation. Positing questions loaded with untruths and not allowing someone to reject them is not a valid way of conducting an interview. In My Opinion.

[Renew Deal]

16. I'm not even referring to this interview

Start with his Cayman Island hedge funds and work from there. It makes no sense.

[wordpix]

28. I saw the interview. Grayson wouldn't answer anything

At least not what joy asked abouf, like why his pr info in the web about the hedge fund features him prominently. His answer was pathetic.

[Andy823]

17. There a a lot of those "hypocrites"

Here on DU. The aren't even really who they say they are. Grayson is an ass, and crooked as hell. Says a lot about those who support him, yet say the promote Bernie because they don't want "corruption" in politics!

[Renew Deal]

19. It's about purity tests

Nothing more. Nothing less. Check off the right ideological checkboxes and you can do no wrong.

[chwaliszewski]

38. I was thinking the exact same thing about Hillary supporters

[elmac]

13. She sold her soul to the Corporate money God

For riches and fame.

[wordpix]

31. Baloney, he's running a hedgefund out of his congressional office

Some in DU don't get it that even progressives can be crooked

[pbmus]

55. Playing progressive to get votes...

[7962]

60. Amen!! Its amazing.

if Grayson had an (R) behind his name they'd all be going nuts
He's an embarrassment to the party

[laserhaas]

14. Standard "ad hominem"... Lie, 1/2 bake and bark

Because that's our media...today

Tools of special interest

[Doitnow]

15. If anyone was "heated" in this interview, it wasn't Grayson.

He was amazingly cool, calm and collected the whole time even tho Reid tried to hammer him. He was quick enough to make her struggle with false accusations the whole time. I hope a video will come up.

[wordpix]

29. He gave an absurd reason as to why he,s featured in the hedge fund pr

It was embarrassing just to watch him.

[lastone]

18. msnbc is so full of shit now - fuck them all

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-news/watch/rep-grayson-embroiled-in-ethics-investigation-685827139935

[Historic NY]

22. Grayson was lying through his teeth.......

http://www.secinfo.com/d1H9ub.n9.htm

Grayson Fund Alan Grayson, by and on behalf of The Grayson Fund General Partner, LLC, the General Partner of the Issuer.

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1525861/000144805115000012/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml

[wordpix]

30. Absolutely, no doubt in my mind

[Historic NY]

67. He's a member here & you don't see him showing his face do you?

[pbmus]

33. That's what this politician does very well ...

[ThePhilosopher04]

32. She's an absolutely pathetic excuse for a journalist. She's lost all credibility.

MSNBC is turning into Fox News.

[pbmus]

35. Ridiculous, she is a brave reporter who knows where a story really is

[PragmaticLiberal]

36. I guess we all see things differently.

Personally, it seemed like Joy could barely get a word out before Grayson jumped on her.

I'm not arguing the validity of the accusations against Grayson.

I just thought he was being a dick....but that's just me.

[INdemo]

37. Just maybe someone with some $$$ power is behind this MSNBC attack

and Debbie Wassermann Schultz just might be the call girl.
Some where in is shadows one can bet Debbie is behind this.

[pbmus]

52. Might want to google Alan Grayson ... No conspiracy here

[INdemo]

58. But its ok to be a Corporate puppet

take millions in Corporate campaign and PAC money and then claim to be a progressive?
Alan Grayson is a progressive something DWS despises and supports Alan Grayson's challenger.
Alan Grayson did not give $250,000 speeches to Goldman Sachs or other Wall St. Mafia members.

[JonLeibowitz]

41. Lots of people sure about what happened in this thread. Let me boldly say: I DO NOT KNOW

Seriously. Grayson could be up to his neck in this, OR Reid could be smearing him to destroy him politically and elect a DINO.

Nobody ever said a progressive had to be incorruptible. I'm glad I don't have to vote in the Florida Primary, because figuring out which of the above possibilities is true looks challenging.

[pbmus]

43. Not really that challenging when everything is in the public domain

or else Joy would not have started the conversation. Just that Wily Grayson got asked some tough questions.

[JonLeibowitz]

47. You don't know that everything is in the public domain, nor that her characterization is accurate

You also presume she is an honest disinterested broker of debate, and I don't see a reason to expect that. And besides:

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him. -- Cardinal Richelieu

None of this is to say that Grayson is innocent, but that I want to see more investigation before I make up my mind about him.

[pbmus]

49. I know that it is all in the public domain or else you will see a lawsuit

Monday morning ...

[JonLeibowitz]

50. No, my point is you don't know that all relevant information is in the public domain

The point is there may be more we do not know.

But I suspect you know this and are playing dumb. Goodbye.

[pbmus]

51. Yeppers I am playing stupid. That's me

[djean111]

61. Easy for me. Murphy switched in 2012. Just to run against another Republican.

Murphy has been cleaning up his record, trying to look a bit less DINO, but any of the New Democrat Coalition is just a Third Wayer (the Third Way advises them) itching to start slashing at any and all social services. murphy though the Benghazi committee was a SWELL idea, voted yes to establish it - but DWS and Hillary love him. Big club.

The double standard here for money - Hillary - OF COURSE she has lots of money! Grayson - verrrrry suspiscious! He has lots of money! - is hilarious.

Who do I want voting on things that affect me, in Conghress - that would be Grayson. period. I will be voting for him in the primary, then - out of the Democratic Party for me. I will only be supporting liberals and Progressives from now on. No DINOs, and I get to decide who is a DINO.

[Drunken Irishman]

53. Grayson is a loon.

He's become unhinged. It's sad to see someone go down the path he has.

[pbmus]

54. He saw an opportunity to play progressive...

WTF...he is just another neocon...

[jzodda]

73. and to think people are sending this guy money

what suckers!

[snot]

56. Excerpt super-poorly editied?

I'd like to believe the best; but this doesn't help.

[Triana]

62. What trash "journalist" writes these f*cking articles?

I'm specifically referring to the following sentence in the article:

Grayson and Harry Reid argued during a routine meeting of liberal Democrats earlier this week

WTF is THAT?

"a routine of the LIBERAL Democrats earlier this week"

How about: "a routine meeting between the two Democrats earlier this week" or; "a routine meeting with other Democrats earlier this week"

Isn't LIBERAL DEMOCRAT redundant?

Or isn't it anymore ie: MOST Democrats are CONSERVATIVE (Republican Lite) so we have to specify if they're ACTUAL Democrats?

OR - is it that "liberal" is STILL considered a cuss word in political nomenclature and prefacing "Democrat" with it is meant as a sneering insult by the author of this article?

Either way, it's use as a preface to the word "Democrat" is OFFENSIVE and UNNECESSARY, at best.

If I could reach the little gnat that wrote the article I'd slap the little screecher 7 ways from Sunday for writing a sentence like that.

I COULD BE CHIEF EDITOR of most of these goddamned rags and do a much better job than whatever RWNJ smear artists that are running the things.

Jeeze.

[Freelancer]

63. That was AWFUL! And I used to like her so much.

Even if there were something to the accusation, that interview was an unmitigated hack job.

[AngryOldDem]

65. Saw this, too.

I'm not up to speed on the backstory, but I had the impression that nothing Grayson could say would satisfy Reid. At that point, the old saying of arguing with a fool came to mind. Grayson handled it well, I thought.

[left-of-center2012]

66. I agree

Her 'interview' was just a string of attacks and false accusations in rapid fire.

[madville]

68. Did he have to give up his House seat to run for Senate?

Doesn't Florida have a rule that you can't be on the same ballot in different election races?

[silvershadow]

69. She really can't believe someone in this day and age can

create phony material? Come on! I can probably do that easily if I only tried. I damn sure know that sleazy political operatives can and probably did.

[Blue_Tires]

70. Really? You're going to try and defend Grayson now?

Maybe you should look at the report and get back to me...

[Stellar]

74. Grayson’s own campaign corrects him on claim that Times is ‘full of shit’

I remembered your thread and wondered what do you think about this...do you think they're lying on Grayson.

Much more at link: capitalnewyork.com

Rep. Alan Grayson accused The New York Times of being “full of shit," in response to questions about the paper's coverage of his hedge fund, which has drawn the scrutiny of congressional ethics investigators.

But in the end, it was Grayson — not the paper — who was in error, and his Senate campaign subsequently corrected the candidate by saying he spoke “incorrectly” about his version of events during his interview with CBS4 Miami.

At issue: The New York Times in February reported that Grayson’s campaign finance director, David Keith, told the paper that he was paid roughly $1,000 a month by the hedge fund, in part to help search for new investors.

“That’s not true, he never spoke to the New York Times,” Grayson told Jim Defede, the host of the Sunday morning show “Facing South Florida.”

“You’re saying he never spoke to the New York Times?” DeFede asked.

"That’s correct,” Grayson said. “The New York Times is full of shit, Jim."

But Grayson’s campaign quickly walked back that claim in a statement to DeFede.

“Rep. Grayson recalled the details of his conversation with David Keith incorrectly,” read the statement, which DeFede read on the air. “Mr. Keith told Rep. Grayson that he had never told the New York Times that Mr. Keith had solicited investors for the investment partnership, not that Mr. Keith had never spoke to the Times at all. In fact, Mr. Keith never did solicit any investors for the partnership.” ...