MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough: ‘Scolded’ by Security & ‘Teased’ by Chris Matthews

By Molly Stark Dean 

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough was seen being “scolded” by House security shortly after noon yesterday for using his phone too close to the House entrance — being that there are different rules for members of congress and the media on where they’re allowed to be on the phone.

Chris Licht — executive producer of “Morning Joe” — tells TVNewser what happened:

Joe is polite to a fault and he knew the officer didn’t recognize him from his days in Congress, so he politely stepped away. The door guards started motioning and apologized — but Joe waved them off. The original guard was pretty red-faced when he saw those guards allow Joe to go on floor two minutes later.

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Scarborough and his co-host Mika Brzezinski were recognized by a bunch of fans shortly thereafter.

The MSNBC anchor was there for John Boehner‘s election ceremony.

  • Video and details of Chris Matthews’ “teasing” incident is after the jump…
  • MSNBC’s Matthews was poking fun at colleague Joe Scarborough wondering around the House floor yesterday at approx 1:30pmET.

    While watching Scarborough, Matthews said:

    What do you think of the rule that allows former members like Joe Scarborough to walk around the floor with such impunity, John Harris?  We’re looking at him on camera here…I’ve never seen such casualness.

    Harris avoided the question. Andrea Mitchell chimed in, “That’s always been the rule.”

    Matthews said, “I know. I’m kidding. I’m teasing.”

    Harris asks, “Joe Scarborough, he’s a colleague of yours on MSNBC, isn’t he, Chris? I’m in favor of whatever he wants. You’ve got to work this out among yourselves.”

    Matthews replied: “He is, he is. I’ve never seen such casualness here. He is table-hopping with abandon down there, saying hello to everybody on the Democratic side.”

    Harris implies that Matthews may be jealous by saying: “I think that maybe former staffers for the House should also have that same privilege.”

    Matthews responds: “Well I do have it in the dining room, but I probably lost it with the Republicans taking over.”

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