Joe Scarborough laid into Kansas Rep. Tim Huelskamp on Friday after the congressman accused the MSNBC host and other gun control advocates of pushing "a political agenda" in wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

After clashing with the hosts about fiscal cliff negotiations, co-host Mika Brzezinski asked the congressman if he thought it was time to reconsider his stance on laws pertaining to assault weapons.

Huelskamp said that as a congressman, he was bothered by how individuals politicized the tragedy "so quickly." Huelskamp said that the country has a "cultural program." He added, "It's not a gun problem; it's a people problem."

"So tell me, why do Americans need assault weapons?" Scarborough asked.

"There's been a lot of misleading statements including those that have been said right here ... that's the reality here. It's not a gun problem. There's a person doing that," Huelskamp pressed.

"Oh really?" Scarborough said. "Do you think I have a constitutional right to have an assault weapon?"