‘Lord Have Mercy!’ Democratic Strategist And Fox’s Maria Bartiromo Throw Down Over Kamala Harris’s Economic Plan

Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo had a tense exchange with Democrat strategist and Rebelle Communications founder and CEO Laura Fink on Monday during a discussion about Vice President Kamala Harris’s economic plan.

Bartiromo introduced Fink and her other guest, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron , and said, “Laura, let me kick it off with you. I want to get your take on policy because I was just looking at, the vice president’s proposals on her economic agenda released on Friday. Do you know of any specific grocery company that has been price gouging?”

“Well, I do know that there’s a big merger between Kroger and Albertsons. My parents worked for Albertsons for their entire careers. And I will tell you that when companies consolidate, yeah, prices go up. Monopolies and antitrust laws need to be enforced,” Fink replied, adding:

And we see that north of 80% of the American people want to see antitrust laws enforced. That’s what the Biden-Harris administration right now is looking at with this potential merger. And it’s what they will, these are the types of laws that Kamala Harris is talking about enforcing. And I’ll tell you, American people, the elites may not be for antitrust laws being enforced. Corporate governance leaders may not, CEOs may not. But the American people are. They’re tired of seeing the prices…

Bartiromo cut in, “Hold on, hold on, hold on. I’m not I’m not talking about antitrust at all. This is. You’re taking me into a different conversation. I’m talking specifically about price gouging. Okay. And what you’re doing is you’re looking to the future. Hold on. Laura. You’re looking to the future about a potential merger. We’re talking about the here and now. We’re talking about the fact that Kamala Harris.”

Fink tried to reply as Bartiromo said, “Hold on, hold on,” and added:

Kamala Harris has said that there is price gouging going on. I have not seen any price gouging. I’d like to know if you have seen any because so far what we see is hold on, hold on. What we have seen is $7 trillion in spending by the Democrats in the last three and a half years. That took us to 40-year-high inflation. That is the root cause of inflation, not price gouging. So I ask you again, what can you identify? Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. The question is can you hold on? The question is can you identify any company that’s actually price gouging? I can’t find it, can you?

“All right. Yeah. Well, that’s what they’re looking at. And I will tell you that the market is controlled. Let’s take chicken for example. Chicken processors, there’s like three in the entire nation, which means they have a monopoly, which means that they can raise prices exponentially when they feel like it. I mean, you can shake your head,” Fink said to a disapproving Bartiromo.

“But it doesn’t mean that at all, Laura. It doesn’t mean that at all. And the question was, can you identify any company that’s price gouging? So the answer is no. You could not identify any company that has price gouging. Daniel, let me turn your attention to you,” Bartiromo said.

Fink cut in, “Ok, you don’t want to hear what I have to say.”

“Because you’re not answering the question. Laura, I’m asking you a simple question. It’s yes or no. It’s not antitrust. It’s not chicken. It’s none of that,” Bartiromo shot back.

Fink jabbed back, “No, it’s nothing that I’m saying. There’s no accuracy to anything that I’m saying. That’s your contention. The fact of the matter is.”

Bartiromo responded, “That’s not what I said, that’s not what I meant. Laura, I ask you again. I want to give you another opportunity. Okay? Let’s let me give you another opportunity. Have you seen any company price gouging? Please identify that company for us.”

“There are many companies who are price gouging. Those investigations are ongoing,” Fink said again.

“Which one? Can you name it?” Bartiromo demanded.

“Am I going to name you a particular company? Absolutely not. Do the American people know that prices are going up, that CEO pay is increasing, that they are making massive and record profits? Is their price gouging that’s going on? Absolutely. Are you here to say there is zero price gouging going on? Is there no price gouging in America? Are you saying that the American people are wrong?” Fink replied.

“No, not right now. No. Right now, no. What you’re seeing right now. And this is just simple economics. What you’re seeing right now is too many dollars chasing too few goods. That is the definition of inflation, Laura,” Bartiromo insisted.
Fink interjected, “What about record profits?”

Bartiromo continued, “And so the fact that the Democrats spent seven, the fact that the Democrats spent $7 trillion in the last three and a half years sent inflation skyrocketing, that is, they put out too many dollars chasing too few goods. And you know that because the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet has exploded, the money supply has exploded. And we’re seeing and by the way, all these companies margins, their margins, when you look at the grocers, their margins…”

Fink tried to reply as Bartiromo said, “Laura, look you talking on top of me to make sure that the audience doesn’t hear the facts. It’s not working. Okay. The margins of these companies in 2019 are the same margins, very similar margins than they are today. That tells you right now that that tells you very simply that there’s not price gouging.”

Bartiromo then turned the conversation to her other guest and ended the segment by asking, “All right, Laura, real quick, to what do you attribute the spike in crime across cities in America?”

As music played, Fink replied, “Give me a break, Maria. Are you going to give me time to answer that question? What do I attribute the spike in crime? Crime is down, girl! Crime is down, crime is down. Violent crime is down. Let’s check the books. Oh my, Lord have mercy. You got me there. Crime is down. Have a great morning.”

Bartiromo laughed and ended the interview with a smile.

Watch above via Fox Business.