‘Almost Nothing That You Just Said Is True’: Ex-NJ Senator Goes Off on CNN’s Brianna Keilar Over Past Corruption Charges

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar’s interview with former Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) started with fireworks on Tuesday when she brought up his past corruption charges, leading him to tell her, “Almost nothing that you just said was true.”

The number of Democrats in the U.S. Senate calling for embattled Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign after he was indicted on federal charges of bribery increases by the day, with his state’s junior senator, Cory Booker (D-NJ), adding his name to the chorus. Torricelli has also called for Menendez to resign, and he is coming from a place of experience with being a sitting New Jersey senator facing legal charges. This is something Keilar was quick to point out, but Torricelli took issue with how she presented it:

Keilar: Senator, thank you so much for being with us. Obviously, you have a very unique perspective on this, not only as a former New Jersey senator who served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but also you were someone who faced a bribery and ethics scandal. Ultimately, a federal investigation against you was closed, but you decided not to run for reelection after the Senate Ethics Committee admonished you for violating Senate gift rules, and it became clear that voters may very well not reelect you. Is there anything that you think would make Senator Menendez resign?

Torricelli: Well, first of all, almost nothing that you just said is true. I did have a federal investigation on campaign finance and gifts. It was ended with a letter of exoneration. So to be clear…

Keilar: I said it was closed.

Torricelli: What you said, it is not true.

Keilar: No, I said it was closed. I said, I said the investigation was closed.

Torricelli: It wasn’t just closed. I was given a letter making clear there was no evidence of any violations of law. So having said that…

Keilar: It was referred to Senate Ethics, so I just wanted to be… I’m not trying to relitigate the past. It was referred to Senate Ethics, and you were rebuked by the Senate Ethics Committee.

Torricelli: Yeah. You’re not relitigating the past. You’re stating it inaccurately. The Justice Department did an investigation and it was closed with a letter of exoneration. And what’s your question with regards to Senator Menendez?

Keilar: It was referred to the Ethics Committee. Am I correct?

Torricelli: It was referred to, yes. That was hardly a criminal matter. It involved a letter. Yes. What is your question?

Keilar: And they rebuked you. My question was, is there anything that you think would make Senator Menendez resign?

Watch the video above via CNN.