'Did she just sign off?' Dem candidate abruptly ends interview after indictment question

Progressive Democrat Kat Abughazaleh, who is running for a Congressional seat in Illinois' 9th District in 2026, abruptly ended an interview with a journalist after being asked about a federal indictment she faces.

Abughazaleh was charged with one count of "forcibly" impeding an officer on duty and one count of conspiracy after she was arrested during a protest of an immigration raid in Broadview, Illinois. Abughazaleh has said she will plead not guilty and plans to surrender to authorities next week.

Abughazaleh joined investigative political reporter Tara Palmeri on her podcast, "The Tara Palmeri Show," on Thursday, but the interview ended abruptly after Palmeri began asking Abughazaleh about the indictment.

Palmeri posted a video of the entire interaction on her Substack, "The Red Letter."

Palmeri first asked Abughazaleh about how she's feeling since the indictment was handed down. Then, she asked what Abughazaleh though about the charges she's facing.

"I am not speaking to anything that is in the indictment right now," Abughazaleh said. "I am pleading not guilty, and the evidence will come out in court. And I plan on winning."

Palmeri then showed Abughazaleh a video from the protest and asked for her reaction.

"When you see that, what do you think right now?" Palmeri asked.

Abughazaleh repeated that she would not speak to the indictment and abruptly ended the interview.

"Did she just sign off?" Palmeri asked.