US EditionCalifornia Opens Inquiry Into Whether Paramount Violated State Bribery, Competition Laws, Semafor Reports
- California state senators opened an inquiry on May 30, 2025, examining whether Paramount violated bribery and competition laws amid settlement talks with Donald Trump.
- The inquiry centers on Trump's $20 billion lawsuit accusing CBS News of manipulating footage from an interview with then-presidential contender Kamala Harris, which Paramount aims to resolve in order to facilitate a pending $8 billion merger with Skydance.
- Former CBS executives Bill Owens and Wendy McMahon resigned recently due to conflicts over handling the lawsuit and are invited to testify voluntarily to shed light on internal pressures.
- Paramount offered Trump around $15 million to settle, while Trump demands over $25 million and an apology, raising concerns that a deal could constitute a bribe influencing regulatory approval.
- Senators warn a settlement might undermine journalistic independence, violate laws, chill political reporting, and damage California's reputation for ethical media oversight.
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Paramount Plan To Pay Off Trump Sparks California Senate Probe, Requests For Ex-CBS News Brass To Testify
Lesley Stahl is certain Paramount will pay off Donald Trump to end POTUS’ $20 billion 60 Minutes lawsuit, and Scott Pelley exclaims journalism is under attack. However, if Shari Redstone thinks a big check and an apology for a piece last year from the CBS newsmagazine series he didn’t like is enough to grease the regulatory wheels for Skydance’s $8 billion absorption of the company, the California state Senate has a news alert for her. In a le…
·Los Angeles, United States
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