MSNBC’s Tur, GOP lawmaker spar over tax brackets after House vote

MSNBC anchor Katy Tur had a contentious interview over tax reform with Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) on Tuesday afternoon that included pressing him on how much money was in his bank account.

The conversation came as the Senate prepares to vote on the GOP’s sweeping tax reform bill, which passed the House earlier in the afternoon.

{mosads}

“What is median household income of your district?” Tur asked Brat, who represents Virginia’s 7th.

“Right about $60,” Brat responded.

“We have it at $73,000,” Tur shot back.

According to the Census Bureau, the per capita income in Brat’s district is approximately $71,000.

“What are you making? What is in your bank account right now?” Tur continued.

“In my bank account?” Brat asked, surprised at the question.

“What tax bracket are you under in this bill?” she pressed.

“Well, I got the chart for you here. I will be probably in the 24 percent bracket,” Brat said. “Everybody can look up their rates. I had a guy at Arby’s making 20 grand, married, and he said how am I going to do this?”

“You get the first 24 grand at a zero tax rate. He said that is not true. He said it goes from 10 percent to 12 percent. I said absolutely not true. And trust me, but wait until you see your paycheck. You pay zero tax because [the] first $24,000 is not taxed for anybody,” Brat explained.

“So you’re at 24 percent. If we checked your tax returns for next year, you’d be at 24 percent?” Tur said.

“Yeah,” Brat replied before asking, “What are you at?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t taken a look at it yet,” Tur replied.

“You don’t know? Come on,” Brat pressed.

“I’m also not a lawmaker, so I’m not involved in marking up this bill or selling it to the American people like you are,” Tur said.

The plan passed the House by a 227-203 vote. Twelve Republicans joined every Democrat in voting against it.