Democratic senator argues with CNN reporter over congressional pay raise: Her salary is the same despite low ratings
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, got into a fight with a CNN reporter on Wednesday after learning the “good news” that lawmakers might get a raise.
The suggested one Expenditure bill Congress will give lawmakers a pay raise for the first time since 2009, which has been met with mixed reactions across the political spectrum.
Durbin was asked by CNN anchor Manu Raju about congressional pay raises. He asked: “Members give themselves a raise. Do you deserve a raise?”
“Well, that’s news to me. It’s good news,” Durbin replied. “You know, what, it’s been 10 or 14 years and no Coke, no change at all? I think it’s time something was done.”
Senator Dick Durbin turned the tables on a CNN reporter when asked about whether lawmakers on the Hill might get a raise.
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When asked again if he supported the raise, Durbin continued to express surprise at the provision: “How would I not hear about a raise?”
Raju pressed the senator, suggesting that “people look at Congress’ performance and ask, ‘Why should we give them more money?'”
However, Durbin fired back at the CNN reporter, asking him how he and his media colleagues are paid the same salary when ratings are declining.
“What about the media? Think about that for a moment,” Durbin said.
“We are not paid with public money,” Raju replied.
“I know that’s not the case,” Durbin said. “But I mean, half of your listeners are no longer there. You still get the same paycheck. What’s up?”
“Well, I mean, you’re taxpayers’ money, I mean, you deserve a raise?” Raju asked.
Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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The exchange was discussed from a CNN panel where they defended their colleague Raju.
“I found it so interesting this morning. “Dick Durbin didn’t know this was in the bill when Manu asked him about it this morning, and he argued that it was convenient information for him because it had been a decade,” CNN congressional correspondent Lauren Fox said.
“And he’s one of those people who’s a normal person when it comes to his bank account,” added CNN anchor Dana Bash.
According to a current Gallup poll, The news media is the “least trustworthy group among 10 U.S. civic and political institutions,” with the U.S. Congress not far behind at 34%.
Liberal news networks actually did this received a blow since Trump won the election.
MSNBC averaged 807,000 daily viewers and CNN averaged 488,000. During prime time, MSNBC averaged 1.7 million viewers from 8 to 11 p.m. ET and CNN settled for just 700,000.
In early December, CNN’s dark audience was smaller than TNT’s, despite the busy news cycle. food network, Freeform, Discovery, INSP, Hallmark Mystery, TLC, TBS, History, HGTV, USA, MSNBC, Paramount, Hallmark Channel, ESPN and Fox News.
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Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.
