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Prominent lawyers join press freedom fight to thwart Paramount settlement with Trump

BBG News

The Freedom of the Press Foundation, now strengthened by additional legal resources, is intensifying its campaign urging Paramount Global to drop their attempts at settling former President Trump’s 20-billion-dollar lawsuit against CBS and “60 Minutes”.

This week, esteemed lawyer Abbe David Lowell has decided to support the legal team of a New York-based advocacy group. If Paramount were to reach an agreement with Trump, this group – which happens to own Paramount stocks – has declared their intention to file a lawsuit against the company.

As someone who’s previously worked with notable figures like Hunter Biden, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner, I find myself currently engaged on a case alongside attorney Norm Eisen – a vocal critic of the Trump administration, notably contributing to House Democrats’ strategies during the impeachment hearings in 2019.

Eisen, previously an ambassador to the Czech Republic, held the position of White House ethical adviser during President Obama’s tenure.

On Thursday afternoon, the two lawyers submitted a firm letter to Shari Redstone, chairwoman of Paramount and its main shareholder, as well as other board members. The content of this letter was a forceful argument against reaching a settlement with Donald Trump, stating that such an agreement could lead to “disastrous” consequences for the struggling media company.

1st Amendment specialists have deemed Donald Trump’s lawsuit as baseless. However, executives at Paramount are eager to put an end to the Trump saga, and some think that a settlement might pave the way for the Federal Communications Commission to greenlight the company’s $8-billion deal with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Essentially, what’s being said is that Paramount requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve the handover of the CBS station licenses to the Ellison family.

The idea of reaching a settlement with Donald Trump has caused significant rifts inside Paramount, an organization that encompasses CBS News and “60 Minutes.

On Thursday, I publicly expressed my concerns as a film enthusiast – selling off CBS News Division’s integrity for political favor with the Trump Administration is an unethical and risky move that will tarnish the company’s reputation and erode shareholder wealth,” I stated.

Lowell stated that it’s both ethically and legally binding for the board to safeguard the company, rather than selling its reputation for regulatory acceptance.

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As an enthusiastic supporter, I’m sharing that two California Democrats are advocating for a hearing to scrutinize Paramount Global’s attempts to settle Donald Trump’s $20-billion lawsuit. In expressing his thoughts, State Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) stated, “I find it astounding how a president could act with such audacity.

The ongoing assessment by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding Skydance’s acquisition proposal of Paramount is proving to be quite challenging. By October, Skydance and Paramount must complete the transaction or risk seeing the agreement fall apart.

Paramount views the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review and the Trump lawsuit as unrelated matters. They intend to follow due process and present their case accordingly.

In late April, lawyers representing Paramount participated in mediation with the president’s legal team, yet a settlement has not been achieved. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Paramount proposed a $15 million payment to Trump to dismiss his lawsuit; however, the president declined the offer and requested more.

On a Thursday announcement, it was revealed that Redstone has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. In the past month, medical professionals have surgically removed her thyroid, yet cancerous cells have also infiltrated her vocal cords.

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Earlier this spring, I found myself facing an unexpected medical diagnosis. This revelation unfolds at a time when the prolonged negotiation of the Paramount sale is causing quite a stir, particularly due to my ongoing dispute with President Trump regarding the editing of “60 Minutes.

In a seven-page correspondence, Lowell and Eisen warned Paramount’s executives that, if they agreed to a Trump deal to boost their standing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), they might be breaching their responsibility to shareholders (fiduciary duty) and could face charges for violating federal anti-bribery laws.

Lowell and Eisen stated that the proposed settlement might contradict laws preventing bribing public officials, which could result in significant and long-lasting harm to Paramount and its stockholders.

“To be as clear as possible, you control what happens next,” they said.

The advice given is reminiscent of a warning issued by three U.S. Senators – Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) In a letter dated May 19, they suggested that giving money to Trump for facilitating the Paramount sale approval might amount to offering a bribe.

In their letter, the senators expressed that it’s unlawful to offer any form of bribe (things of value) to public officials in order to sway their decision on an official matter.

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‘60 Minutes,’ the Associated Press, an Iowa newspaper: Trump’s attacks on the media reach new heights

A bold president, along with his supporters, is aggressively pushing efforts to manipulate the powers of government to pressure a growing divided and contentious media, according to specialists.

Furthermore, two Democratic representatives from California have suggested holding a hearing in the State Senate to scrutinize potential issues related to a potential Trump agreement.

Two ex-CBS News managers, who departed primarily due to a scandal, have been summoned by senators for a future joint committee hearing in Sacramento, which has not been scheduled as of now.

In their letter, California legislators stated that a potential settlement involving Trump might breach California’s Unfair Competition Law due to its potential impact on leveling the news industry’s competitive landscape.

This week, Paramount requested that shareholders consider expanding their board to seven members during the upcoming monthly shareholder gathering in the near future.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation came into being in 2012 with a mission to safeguard and uphold the integrity of journalism serving the public good.

This spring, Lowell departed from Winston & Strawn, his long-time major law firm. Instead, he established his own specialized law office named Lowell & Assoc. The primary focus of this new venture is advocating for the public’s interest in cases that safeguard the legal system’s honesty and shield individuals and institutions from excessive government intervention, as stated on their website.

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Trump, ‘60 Minutes’ and corruption allegations put Paramount on edge with sale less certain

Three Democratic senators cautioned that any form of payment to Trump for receiving preferential treatment from regulators might breach federal bribery prohibitions. They declared that the interactions between Paramount and Trump are troubling due to potential issues related to corruption and unethical behavior.

Additionally, Lowell’s firm counts attorney Brenna Frey among its ranks. Previously, she left a well-known law firm, Skadden Arps, following an arrangement they made with Trump to evade scrutiny. In that deal, the law firm agreed to offer $100 million worth of legal services without charge.

Last month, Frey appeared on CBS’ “60 Minutes” to air her decision to resign from Skadden Arps.

Frey stated that he managed to share his story on ’60 Minutes’ from CBS due to the bravery and autonomy of their news division, which is currently under threat.

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2025-06-06 18:31

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