Trump Turns Up the Pressure on ’60 Minutes,’ Demanding ‘Reams of Private Documents from CBS News in $20 Billion Lawsuit Over Harris Interview
Trump’s legal team has submitted a detailed list of document requests from the ’60 Minutes’ leadership and any communications between CBS and the Biden Administration and Harris Campaign.
President Trump’s legal team is turning up the pressure on CBS as it pushes forward with Mr. Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against the Tiffany Network over how CBS News’ “60 Minutes” edited an interview with Vice President Harris is the final weeks of the 2024 campaign,
Mr. Trump’s legal team sent a 27-page letter to CBS, which was obtained by Fox News, asking for more than 100 different forms of communication.
The letter specifically seeks “all documents in CBS Interactive’s possession, custody, or control, wherever located, including documents in the possession of its representatives, attorneys, or other persons directly or indirectly retained by CBS Interactive, or anyone else acting on its behalf or otherwise subject to its control” that are related to the October interview.
Additionally, Mr. Trump’s legal team wants any communication between CBS and the FCC, the Biden administration, the Harris campaign, or the DNC from September 22, 2024 to February 11, 2025.
The demand also asks for communications between the executive editor of “60 Minutes,” Tanya Simon, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Bill Owens, the anchor of “Face The Nation,” Margaret Brennan, or journalist Bill Whitaker, who interviewed Ms. Harris.
CBS News did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment.
Mr. Trump is suing CBS News for $20 billion over its editing of Ms. Harris’ “60 Minutes interview.”
His lawsuit claims that the network “manipulated” Ms. Harris’ response to a question about Prime Minister Netanyahu to eliminate “word salads” that “made no sense” to help her presidential aspirations.
“Defendants’ tampering went way beyond the exchange about Prime Minister Netanyahu,” the filing says. “This was a full-blown cover-up of an incompetent candidate in Harris, substantially motivated by commercial gain and rabid partisanship.”
Despite winning the election, Mr. Trump amended his lawsuit earlier this month to state that he is now seeking $20 billion, up from the original $10 billion, as he claimed the network damaged his social media company’s revenue.
After months of refusing to release the transcript of the “60 Minutes” interview, CBS relented after the new chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, ordered it to.
The transcript showed that CBS did edit the vice president’s answer, removing her immediate, circuitous comments in response to the question, and cutting immediately from a shot of Mr. Whitaker asking the question to a shot of Ms. Harris answering it coherently. The version that aired on TV was shorter and more coherent than her complete response, the transcript showed.
The network has defended how it edited the interview and insisted the editing was “consistent with 60 Minutes’ repeated assurances to the public — that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful.”
“In reporting the news, journalists regularly edit interviews — for time, space, or clarity. In making these edits, 60 Minutes is always guided by the truth and what we believe will be most informative to the viewing public — all while working within the constraints of broadcast television,” the network said.
CBS sought to have Mr. Trump’s lawsuit dismissed as it argued it is “completely without merit.”
However, the judge overseeing the case, Matthew Kacsmaryk, a conservative judge best known for briefly suspending FDA approval of mifepristone, denied the motion to dismiss the case while stressing that his order should not be “construed as a determination on the merits of either Plaintiffs’ or Defendants’ substantive arguments and claims in the Motions or Amended Complaint.”
https://www.nysun.com/article/trump-turns-up-the-pressure-on-60-minutes-demanding-reams-of-private-documents-from-cbs-news-in-20-billion-lawsuit-over-harris-interview
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