‘What’s That Supposed to Mean?’ CNN’s Manu Raju Asks Indicted Congressman About His Associates Pleading Guilty

CNN’s Manu Raju was reporting live from the Capitol about the potential resignation of a Biden administration official when the reporter shifted gears to ask an indicted lawmaker if he will resign on an unrelated matter.

FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg was grilled by Congress on Wednesday over reports of a toxic workplace environment at his agency and resisted calls to resign. As Raju reported on the hearing, he caught Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) walking down the hallway. The congressman was indicted earlier this month on federal charges of bribery and acting as a foreign agent. Prosecutors say Cuellar received $600,000 from Azerbaijan’s state-run oil company and a Mexican bank in exchange for performing official acts. His wife, Imelda Cuellar, has also been indicted. Three of the congressman’s associates have pleaded guilty in the case.

The Cuellars have pleaded not guilty.

Raju interrupted his own report on The Lead with Jake Tapper to do a walk-and-talk interview with Cuellar:

RAJU: In fact, [Gruenberg] faced most of those resignation calls from Republicans even though he faced up a barrage of criticism from both sides of the aisle – Democrats and Republicans alike. Jake, I want to pause right here because I’m gonna try to ask Congressman Henry Cuellar, who has been indicted on federal charges about that.

TAPPER: Sure. Go for it.

RAJU: Excuse me, Mr. Cuellar. Three of your people with ties to you just pleaded guilty in this bribery case against you. What’s your reaction to that?

CUELLAR: Uh, we’re not afraid of the truth.

RAJU: What’s that supposed to mean? Two of them were your– one’s a consultant and a campaign chairman who said they were funneling bribes to you.

CUELLAR: Like I said, we’re not afraid of the truth.

RAJU: What about the $600,000 in payments? How did that get in your bank account?

[INAUDIBLE]

RAJU: Will you resign?

CUELLAR: No.

As Cuellar said, “No,” the elevator doors closed and Raju turned back to the camera.

“He has not yet commented on any of this, so I just had a chance as you heard, there, try to ask them about this,” Raju told Tapper. “He decided to, of course, not exactly say other than the fact that he believes a truth will come out, not wanting to discuss this further as he walked into the elevator there, Jake.”

The FBI raided Cuellar’s home in January 2022, sending up potential red flags about the congressman’s future. Despite the raid, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi nevertheless supported Cuellar amid a strong primary challenge that year from progressive Jessica Cisneros, who lost by just 289 votes.

Watch above via CNN.

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