New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy engaged in a heated exchange with CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Squawk Box Wednesday over Murphy’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, with the conversation quickly evolving into a debate over progressive policies and the politicization of the Justice Department.
Kernen began by pressing Murphy on his stance on progressive issues, including ending the filibuster, decriminalizing illegal border crossings, and taxing unrealized gains. Murphy openly supported eliminating the filibuster but dodged specifics on other issues. Kernen then questioned Murphy on tax fairness, asking, “Do you think if I pay 55% total, is that fair for me, or do I need to pay 80%? What would be fair for you?”
Murphy responded with a jab, suggesting Kernen sounded “like you’re on the Trump campaign” and expressed openness to a “very progressive tax system.”
The conversation shifted to the topic of “lawfare,” with Kernen implying that the Justice Department, under the Biden administration, has been weaponized against former President Donald Trump. Murphy pushed back strongly, saying, “There’s no rational viewer right now watching this discussion that thinks that Harris is the authoritarian threat versus Trump.”
As the debate continued, Kernen brought up recent comments attributed to President Biden, alleging he had labeled Trump supporters as “garbage.” CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin then stepped in, attempting to provide context by mentioning that Trump, during his presidency, sought the prosecution of figures like James Comey and Hillary Clinton, but his own Justice Department declined.
The segment concluded on a tense note, with Kernen challenging Sorkin’s intervention. “Come on, Andrew!” Kernen retorted, bringing the spirited exchange to an abrupt close.