Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has publicly cautioned CBS News against settling a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump, arguing that such a move could undermine the perception of an independent media safeguarded by the First Amendment.
The lawsuit, initially filed by Trump in October, alleges election interference stemming from a "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump claims the network's editing of the interview was deceptive and favored his Democratic opponent. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Paramount Global, CBS's parent company, is contemplating a settlement in light of a pending merger that requires approval from the current Trump administration.
Senator Sanders expressed his concerns on social media, questioning CBS's potential decision to settle and emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional principles. He urged the network to "stand tall" and support the First Amendment.
The lawsuit centers on Harris's response to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A preview clip aired on "Face the Nation" showed Harris giving a lengthy response that was criticized by some as a "word salad." However, a shorter, more concise answer from Harris was aired during the primetime election special, leading to accusations that CBS had edited the interview to protect Harris from criticism. Critics called for the network to release the full interview transcript.
Trump's lawsuit alleges that CBS engaged in "deceitful, deceptive manipulation of news" and attempted to influence the 2024 election outcome. The suit further claims that CBS’s actions constituted "partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference." The Wall Street Journal suggests that Paramount's consideration of a settlement may be motivated by a desire to avoid potential repercussions from Trump's Federal Communications Commission, which has the power to block the company's merger with Skydance Media.
This situation follows a recent settlement between ABC News and Trump in a separate defamation lawsuit, where ABC paid Trump $15 million and issued a written apology. Sanders's warning to CBS echoes concerns raised by critics of the ABC settlement, who argued that it set a negative precedent. CBS News has not yet commented on the matter.
