Democratic Rep. Chides MSNBC Host for ‘Overdoing’ Coverage of Mar-a-Lago Raid at Expense of Inflation Reduction Act: ‘With All Due Respect…’ 

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) dinged MSNBC guest host John Heilemann for supposedly devoting too much coverage to the news about Donald Trump improperly taking government documents to his Florida estate upon leaving office.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday, kicking off a firestorm among conservatives. On Friday, the warrant was unsealed by a judge, as well as receipts indicating the materials the FBI removed from the property. The warrant indicates Trump is being investigated for potential violations of federal law, including the Espionage Act.

Also on Friday, the House passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a significant legislative victory for President Joe Biden in the realms of healthcare and climate change. The bill already passed the Senate, so it will now head to Biden’s desk for his signature.

Heilemann welcomed Maloney to Friday’s edition of Deadline: White House, where he began by asking the congressman for his thoughts on the Trump drama.

“Before we get on to your boasting about how great things are going for Joe Biden and the Democratic Party right now,” Heilemann began, “just give me a sense of what you’re feeling.”

Maloney, who is the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, offered a brief thought before dinging Heilemann over what he thought was excessive coverage of Trump.

“Look, it’s sad and it is serious that we would be in a place where we had a former president keeping classified information in the basement,” Maloney began. “But can I tell you something? We are on the verge of historic legislation right here. So with all due respect, I think you guys are maybe overdoing the relative importance of these two stories. My constituents care a lot more about what’s in their paychecks than what’s in Donald Trump’s basement.”

He went on to extol his party and references key parts of the legislation.

“Lower prescription drug prices because we are taking on Big Pharma and negotiated through Medicare, taxes on every corporation in America,” he continued. “That’s real progress. That’s the work we’re sent here to do and Democrats are getting it done. It’s a great day.”

Heilemann pushed back.

“Congressman, I know you don’t mean to suggest the possibility that Donald Trump took classified materials related to nuclear arsenals down to Mar-a-Lago with him and broke potentially three federal laws isn’t like, worthy of some news coverage, right?” he asked. “That’s not your position.”

“You didn’t hear me say that,” Maloney replied. “But the relative attention you’re paying to that against what’s going on on the House floor, I think we should focus on that, Jon. I think the fact is that I know that it’s magic in the business model of cable news and Twitter. But in the lives of the people I represent out there, in the real world, it is not as relevant to what’s going on in their lives.”

Heilemann responded, “Point taken. And when they put me in charge of all cable news, I promise I’ll do something a little bit different than the rest of what the world does.”

Watch above via MSNBC.

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