Bernie Sanders says his viral comments about the GOP tax plan were taken 'completely out of context'

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Bernie Sanders.

• Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont responded to conservatives who highlighted his recent comments on the GOP tax plan.
• The senator said his comments were taken "completely out of context."

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont hit back at conservatives in a Wednesday statement for taking recent comments he made about their massive tax overhaul "completely out of context."

"The Republicans are so desperate to spin their disastrous tax plan that they have resorted to taking comments I recently made completely out of context," the progressive senator said. "Let me set the record straight."

He called the bill "one of the worst pieces of legislation in the modern history of our country" that will be a massive transfer of wealth to the wealthiest Americans, negatively impact the healthcare market, and lay the groundwork for congressional Republicans to slash spending for Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

"Instead of this grossly obscene piece of legislation, let's pass tax reform that permanently benefits all middle-income and working-class families without giving tax breaks to the top 1%," he said. "Instead of providing huge tax breaks to the rich and large corporations that explode the deficit, which this bill does, millionaires, billionaires and large, profitable corporations must begin paying their fair share of taxes."

Sanders was responding to conservatives who highlighted comments he made to CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday.

During that interview, Sanders said the middle class tax cuts provided in the bill are "a very good thing" that shouldn't expire.

"That's why we should've made the tax breaks for the middle class permanent," he said.

"But what the Republicans did is made the tax breaks for corporations permanent, the tax breaks for the middle class temporary," he continued. "Meanwhile, at the end of 10 years, well over 80 billion Americans are paying more in taxes. Thirteen million Americans, as a result of this legislation, lose their health insurance. Health premiums are going up. You've got a $1.4 trillion deficit as a result of this bill."