Geraldo Rivera and Joe Borelli threw down on CNN over accusations of a “potential conflict of interest” over Jared Kusher’s business dealings in Israel.
On Saturday’s Table for Five, Borelli, a former New York City councilor, battled the entire panel as he defended Kushner and slammed CNN’s reporting on his company’s connection in a business that provides arms to the Israeli military.
Kushner lashed out at the report this week, calling it “misleading.” The “potential conflict of interest” comes from Kushner’s Affinity Partners, which owns a large stake in Phoenix Financial, a Tel-Aviv based firm that has invested hundreds of millions into an Israeli arms manufacturer. They are invested in other companies that also provide equipment to the military.
CNN’s Abby Phillip and others on Saturday argued that Kushner’s business ties are troubling considering he works as a voluntary ambassador for the White House, negotiating peace deals in places like Gaza. The report notes that there is no evidence that Kushner’s actions led to further profits for Phoenix, but the company has seen its value go way up and Kushner has praised the investment.
Borelli was Kushner’s sole defender on the CNN panel.
“Jared Kushner owns an investment company. The investment company owns a percentage of an Israeli investment company, which owns $250 billion of assets, including thousands of companies that they own shares in,” Borelli explained.
“How naive of you, man!” Rivera said.
“Hold on. Something like 11 of the 10,000 are involved in the defense of Israel and that’s the premise of this article,” Borelli shot back.
“You’re saying that they have no interest, that there’s no connection?” Rivera asked.
“Yes. I’m saying that the very article we’re discussing said that, Geraldo, not me,” Borelli responded.
“But if their wealth is increasing — what, because they’re not watching the book themselves?” Rivera said.
Borelli argued that the framing of the article suggests Kushner is “corrupt,” which Phillip objected to.
“If you tell me where it says in the article that Jared Kushner is corrupt, then maybe I’ll be down with what you’re saying,” she said.
Borelli argued it wasn’t blatantly said to avoid a potential lawsuit.
“You have a problem with the fact that we know about it, and that’s what I have a problem with,” Phillip fired back.
The debate then fell into loud crosstalk as Borelli exclaimed that the company’s trading is all public record and that defense investments is just a “small part” of their portfolio. Rivera pushed back, arguing there should be concern about Kushner’s wealth growing from these business ties as he continues to act as a key negotiator.
Rivera accused Borelli of acting “childish” in his aggressive defense of Kushner.
“Is there a wealth affected by their public actions? In other words, do the things they do as the designated, you know, ambassador… whatever you call them, do the things they do affect their personal wealth, yes or no? The answer is, of course it affects their personal wealth and to be childish about it and to be so defensive about it is an indication that this is why the president is losing popularity,” he said.
Watch above via CNN.
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