A "Rachel Maddow Show" producer accidentally copied GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn's (N.C.) office in an email to a Capitol Hill NBC News colleague expressing concern that the congressman may request to come on the show if asked for comment about a story alleging that he could not seek reelection because of his previous comments at the Jan. 6, 2021 "Save America Rally."
The story, initially reported by The Associated Press, shows that a group of North Carolina voters were attempting to disqualify Cawthorn from reelection because he gave remarks questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election during the pro-Trump rally that precipitated the Capitol riot, citing a portion of the 14th Amendment that states, anyone who, having "previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress" shall have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same."
The Maddow producer, evidently unaware that Cawthorn's office was copied on the email, asked the NBC colleague to request comment from the lawmaker's office because, if a "Maddow" representative asked, he might "ask to come on and explain." The producer added in the email that the show does not want to "take that risk."
"We are kinda interested in this AP story (below) that just dropped about Rep. Madison Cawthorn," the email, obtained by Fox News Digital, reads. "A group of voters in NC is challenging his candidacy based on his ties to the insurrection."
The producer then proceeded to ask their colleague the following: "1. Do you or any other NBC Hill folks plan to ask him for comment on this story? 2. If not, is that something you guys could do? We don’t have a relationship with his office and between you and me are a little worried that if we did inquire he might ask to come on and explain. I know that is HIGHLY doubtful, but don’t want to take that risk. Luke Ball (?) I guess is the spox quoted?"
The NBC colleague responded by saying they would contact Cawthorn's representatives.
Cawthorn slammed the move by "Fake news" MSNBC, saying in a statement to Fox News Digital that the network feared he would "burst their woke dystopian bubble."
"Fake news MSNBC doesn’t want to ‘take the risk’ that I’ll come on their show and trigger the left with my America First message and burst their woke dystopian bubble," he said. "The left doesn’t want debate from conservatives, they want silence. And now we have it in writing. Sad!"
The first-term congressman's office said that he would appear on Maddow's show if he were to be invited on.