Warren Buffett hit back at Chris Christie on Monday, sarcastically saying that the New Jersey governor's suggestion that the billionaire investor "just write a check and shut up" was a "touching response."
Buffet's comments came in response to an interview Christie gave CNN last week. Referring to Buffett's suggestion that the wealthiest Americans be taxed at a higher rate, the New Jersey governor said that Warren "should just write [the government] a check and shut up."
"It's sort of a touching response to a $1.2 trillion deficit, isn't it?" said Buffett in an interview Monday with CNBC. "That somehow the American people will all send in checks and take care of it?"
Buffett's philosophy on income tax, which he outlined last summer in a New York Times editorial, was adopted by President Obama in his new budget. Known as the "Buffett Rule," the proposal would raise taxes for the very wealthy. Under the new structure, individuals who make more than $1 million annually would pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.
Buffett also criticized the Republican governor for not being "eloquent," and for echoing comments made earlier by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said last year that Buffett should "send in a check" if he is "feeling guilty" about paying less in taxes than those with smaller incomes.
"It's sort of astounding to me that somebody that has the responsibility for being the minority leader in the Senate would think that you attack a $1.2 trillion or so deficit by asking for voluntary contributions," he said.
Buffett responded to McConnell's comments earlier this year, pledging to match voluntary tax contributions made by any Republican members of Congress.
"I'll even go three for one for McConnell," Buffett said in January.
Watch Buffett's interview with CNBC: