Conservative CNN contributor Scott Jennings overtly mocked the network’s chief media analyst Brian Stelter’s reporting that MSNBC Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski reached out to satisfy with President-opt for Donald Trump as a result of they “feared retribution.”

Scarborough and Brzezinski’s transfer stunned the political media world. The pair, recognized to be two of Trump’s most influential and vocal critics, rationalized that their assembly with the president-select used to be about to “restart communication” as they might pivot faraway from their earlier coverage model.

As backlash rolled in, two sources instructed Stelter that the 2 hosts “feared retribution, ” which influenced the controversial meet-up.

Appearing on CNN’s NewsNight, Stelter exact what the sources had advised him in dialog with host Abby Phillip, who mused that the announcement of the meet-up appeared like a “hostage video.”

Stelter agreed: “Proper. Detente, appeasement. I don’t know what to name it. You recognize, Joe and Mika didn’t say a lot about it as of late, but in line with my sources, they believed… they credibly have been concerned that they faced governmental and criminal harassment with this incoming administration, primarily, that they feared retribution. And that’s partly why they sought out this meeting.”

Induced with the aid of the host on what sort of retribution they were concerned about, he endured: “, I think there’s a wide spectrum. And to be honest, to Brzezinski and Scarborough, they’re not the only MSNBC hosts or the only – the word journalists is complicated as a result of they’re extra like personalities – however there are a selection of journalists at places just like the [Associated Press] and other giant news outlets which might be excited about retaliation within the coming months. The rest from IRS audits to proceedings and issues like that. There are media outlets bulking up on lawyers, fascinated with having extra libel insurance, those sorts of issues.”

He added: “Now, I don’t comprehend exactly what the particular situation Joe and Mika had used to be or wasn’t. However they’re now not the one MSNBC personalities involved about retaliation. Alternatively, they are the only ones to head right down to Mar-a-Lago and have a gathering.”

Phillip stated Jennings, who used to be shaking his head in disbelief.

“I imply, isn’t it imaginable too that they’re simply two people who think they’re so full of themselves, so filled with self-aggrandizement that they might really feel like that they’d be personally…” he began.

Stelter contested that the worry was once legitimately felt elsewhere: “I don’t tell someone, however some of their colleagues feel that approach.”

Jennings persevered: “Smartly, I simply, to begin with, I can see why. 2d of all, if that’s what took place and if that’s what they truly believed, why did they go on TV and say that? ‘We went down there to meet with the president to inform him that, whats up, somebody who’s been critical of you, , you should treat us like journalists and not like the enemy.’”

He delivered: “They didn’t go on TV and say that, they went on TV and portrayed it so much differently. So what I hear you pronouncing in your reporting is they had a rationale that they weren’t keen to divulge to their audience, which I believe must get them more scorn lately than they had been already getting first of all.”

Phillip joined in, reflecting on Stelter’s sources’ claims, and said that the “nature of the conversation” in fact “gave the impression of an try and shake palms and make up.”

Stelter responded: “Yes. We all know some lawmakers have accomplished this. We know that for January 6th, some lawmakers, Republican lawmakers, have been terrified of being attacked. Physical or online harassment.”

Phillip interrupted: “That’s now not how journalism is meant to work.”

Stelter justified the fears additional: “It’s no longer presupposed to work in a democracy that method. But that is an bizarre time. And appear, I take note some folks would possibly assume that is paranoia inside of MSNBC, as an instance. There are some people who think these fears I’m describing are approach overblown. However then there’s others who’re involved about prosecution. So there’s a wide range of issues at this time and…”

“Prosecution for what?” Jennings challenged.

Smartly, that’s a super query,” Phillip added.

As different panelists supplied their opinion, Stelter back to Jennings: “Final week, Steve Bannon mentioned, lawyered up, MSNBC’s producers. So there may be an surroundings, Scott, where there are comprehensible concerns.”

He continued: “And Trump has said others are calling for meetings. I feel the query now, as a result of a yr from now, will this all be paranoia? Proper? Will these concerned producers and hosts and journalists and attorneys, will they all be cozy a yr from now? Because it turns available in the market was no retribution? I don’t think we know the reply to that.”

Watch above on CNN.

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