Democrats plead with Shari Redstone to not cave to Trump’s ‘bogus’ 60 Minutes lawsuit | EUROtoday

Sen. Bernie Sanders and eight different Democratic senators are urging the highest shareholder of CBS News’ mum or dad firm to not cave to Donald Trump and settle the president’s meritless $20 billion lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.

In a letter despatched to Paramount Global boss Shari Redstone on Tuesday night, first reported by The New York TimesSanders and the opposite senators wrote that Trump’s grievance – which most authorized specialists have stated is baseless and would probably get tossed out of court docket – is a “blatant attempt to intimidate the media and those who speak out against him.”

The letter comes as Paramount and Trump’s authorized staff are at the moment in mediation to resolve the case out of court docket, with the corporate’s government board already laying out an appropriate financial quantity that they’re prepared to pay in a settlement. Redstone, who has now recused herself from the board’s dialogue on the case, has lengthy pushed for a settlement in hopes that it’s going to persuade the Trump administration to approve Paramount’s merger with Skydance.

“This lawsuit is an attack on the United States Constitution and the First Amendment. It has absolutely no merit and it cannot stand,” the letter acknowledged.

“In the United States of America, presidents do not get to punish or censor the media for criticizing them. Freedom of the press is what sets us apart from tin-pot dictatorships and authoritarian regimes,” the senators continued.

Besides Sanders, the letter was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). The senators additionally identified that Paramount’s personal legal professionals just lately argued in court docket that Trump’s swimsuit, which claims CBS engaged in election interference with its modifying of the Harris interview, is “without basis in law or fact” and ought to be dismissed.

“Unfortunately, it appears that Paramount is now seeking to settle this case with Trump for as much as $75 million,” they famous. “In our view, that would be a grave mistake. We urge you and Paramount’s board of directors to reconsider.”

Labeling the case a “bogus lawsuit,” the senators stated that “rewarding” Trump with tens of millions of {dollars} “will not cause him to back down on his war against the media” however somewhat it might “only embolden him to shakedown, extort and silence CBS” every time the community reported on points Trump disliked.

Quoting CBS News legend Walter Cronkite, the senators wrote that “freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy” earlier than making one ultimate plea to Redstone and the board.

“Stand up for freedom of the press and our democracy,” they concluded. “Do not capitulate to this dangerous move to authoritarianism.”

A Paramount spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The letter comes simply two weeks after 60 Minutes government producer Bill Owens abruptly resigned due to company interference, claiming he was unable “to make independent decisions” on the route of the present. Earlier this 12 months, amid the president’s continued assaults on the present, Redstone put in CBS News veteran Susan Zirinsky because the interim government editor overseeing requirements, which noticed Zirinsky serving as a test on Owens and serving as Redstone’s eyes and ears on the present.

Meanwhile, after Trump raged final month about two 60 Minutes segments about Greenland and Ukraine and known as for his hand-picked FCC chairman to take motion, Redstone contacted Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks and questioned if it was doable to “delay sensitive stories about Trump” till the Skydance deal was sealed.

It would seem that the reply was no. This previous Sunday, the newsmagazine ran a prolonged report on how the president is concentrating on “some of the biggest law firms in the country that he accuses of ‘weaponizing’ the justice system against him,” which included an interview with Democratic legal professional Marc Elias, a hated determine in MAGA circles.

The president’s anger in direction of 60 Minutes has solely continued to fester this week. Four days after this system was nominated for an Emmy for its modifying of the Harris interview, Trump took to his social media platform to gripe in regards to the nod whereas boasting about his lawsuit.

“[I]n a total slap in the face to anyone who believes in TRUTH and Honest Journalism, this Fake News Puff Piece has now been nominated for an award by the totally discredited Emmys,” the president blared on Truth Social. “Did 60 Minutes and its Corporate Parents apply to get an Emmy for an illegally falsified interview, or did other Fake Outlets nominate them for this dubious ‘honor’?”

Trump added: “These antics are why the American People have no trust in the Press, and demand that the Media, very much including 60 Minutes, CBS, and its owners, be held responsible for their corruption and lies, which is exactly what we are doing in Court!”