Senators Warn Paramount: Trump Lawsuit Settlement Could Violate Bribery Laws

A trio of U.S. senators has cautioned Paramount Global and Shari Redstone about potential violations of federal anti-bribery laws if they proceed with settling a lawsuit filed by former President Trump against CBS concerning a “60 Minutes” segment.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Ron Wyden penned a public letter to Redstone, highlighting concerns that settlement negotiations with Trump’s legal team could be construed as an attempt to influence the Trump Administration in exchange for approving Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media.

Trump’s lawsuit seeks $20 billion in damages, alleging that “60 Minutes” deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris, violating Texas consumer protection laws. Paramount and CBS have defended the broadcast, dismissing the suit as baseless and an affront to the First Amendment.

The senators’ letter suggests that any monetary settlement could be seen as an illegal quid pro quo. “Under the federal bribery statute, it is illegal to corruptly give anything of value to public officials to influence an official act,” they wrote, implying that concessions to Trump could breach this law.

A Paramount spokesperson declined to comment directly but reiterated the company’s stance that the lawsuit is unrelated to the Skydance transaction and FCC approval process. They affirmed their commitment to defending their case through legal channels. Similarly, Redstone’s representative also declined to comment.

The $8 billion Paramount-Skydance deal awaits FCC approval. Previous statements from Trump-appointed FCC chairman Brendan Carr indicated that the lawsuit and merger approval are separate matters. However, discussions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at Paramount have been reportedly ongoing.

The recent departures of CBS News president Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, both citing conflicts with Paramount executives, have further fueled concerns. The senators linked these exits to the Trump lawsuit, suggesting a compromise of journalistic independence.

The senators demanded answers from Redstone by June 2, probing Paramount’s stance on the lawsuit’s merits, potential shareholder litigation risks, and any content changes made to “60 Minutes” to facilitate the merger approval.

They also inquired about Paramount’s policies and procedures related to compliance with anti-corruption laws.

Trump has publicly declared his lawsuit a “true WINNER” and accused CBS and “60 Minutes” of deceptively editing the Harris interview. The Wall Street Journal initially reported the senators’ letter.

Keywords: Paramount Global, Donald Trump, lawsuit, anti-bribery law, Skydance Media, FCC, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Ron Wyden, CBS News, 60 Minutes, Shari Redstone, merger, media, politics, corruption.