CBS hits again at Trump’s authorized menace citing First Modification rights: ‘We decline’ to launch full transcript

CBS Information fired again at former President Trump’s authorized menace in opposition to the community over its “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, insisting he has no authorized standing as CBS Information is protected by the First Modification. 

Earlier this week, Fox Information Digital first reported on the letter Trump’s lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik despatched to CBS Information on behalf of his consumer demanding the community launch the total transcript of the “60 Minutes” interview after the community aired two totally different solutions to the identical query. Trump’s lawyer additionally requested CBS to protect all paperwork and communications associated to the interview pending a possible authorized battle.

CBS Information has refused to launch the total transcript, based on a letter that CBS Information despatched to Paltzik in response that has been obtained by Fox Information Digital. 

“Your letter on behalf of Mr. Trump is predicated on the defective premise that 60 MINUTES distorted its interview with Vice President Kamala Harris (‘the Interview’) to be able to current her in a optimistic mild. That, as 60 MINUTES has stated in its Assertion, is fake,” CBS Information’ senior vp of authorized affairs Gayle C. Sproul started her letter on Wednesday to Paltzik.

TRUMP SENDS LETTER TO CBS DEMANDING UNEDITED ‘60 MINUTES’ HARRIS TRANSCRIPT, TEASES POTENTIAL LAWSUIT

CBS Information fired again at former President Trump’s lawyer, scoffing at his demand for the community to launch the total transcript of its “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.  (Getty Photographs)

The community rejected Trump’s assertion that it “conceded” that it had “doctored” the Harris interview to mislead the American individuals, insisting “The Interview was not doctored” and this system “didn’t conceal any a part of the Vice President’s reply to the query at problem.”

“60 MINUTES pretty offered the Interview to tell the viewing viewers, and to not mislead it. Certainly, your competition that 60 MINUTES acted nefariously is totally unfounded,” Sproul wrote. 

“As a substitute, the Interview was edited for time with the goal of permitting the general public to listen to from the Vice President on as many topics as attainable in a 21-minute interview,” she continued. “Modifying is a necessity for all broadcasters to allow them to current the information within the time accessible, and that’s what 60 MINUTES did right here, because it does with its different studies.”

FLASHBACK: CBS NEWS RELEASED A ‘FULL TRANSCRIPT’ OF VP HARRIS INTERVIEW IN 2021 THAT DIDN’T AIR ENTIRELY ON TV

CBS then cited the First Modification and declined to launch the unedited transcript regardless of widespread calls to take action. 

“The First Modification fiercely protects these editorial judgments… For that motive, no non-public proper of motion exists right here and I word that you don’t establish one. Neither is there any authorized foundation to your demand that we give you the unedited transcript of the Interview, which we decline to do,” Sproul continued. 

Steven Cheung, spokesman for the Trump marketing campaign, instructed Fox Information Digital: “As President Trump said – CBS dedicated the worst wrongdoing in broadcast historical past after they maliciously and deceptively doctored Lyin’ Kamala Harris’ pathetic 60 Minutes interview. CBS is on discover to protect their paperwork.”

Former President Trump dramatically known as the “60 Minutes” controversy probably the “greatest scandal in broadcast historical past.” (AP Photograph/Evan Vucci)

The controversy stemmed from an trade Harris had with “60 Minutes” correspondent Invoice Whitaker. In a preview clip that aired on “Face The Nation,” Harris was requested why it appeared like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t listening to the U.S. 

“Nicely, Invoice, the work that we’ve got finished has resulted in various actions in that area by Israel that have been very a lot prompted by, or a results of, many issues, together with our advocacy for what must occur within the area,” Harris responded within the “Face the Nation” clip. 

CBS NEWS STATEMENT ON CONTROVERSIAL ’60 MINUTES’ EDIT FALLS FLAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘PUBLISH. THE. TRANSCRIPT.’

Harris was mocked by conservatives for providing a prolonged “phrase salad” to Whitaker. However when that very same query aired the next night time within the primetime election particular, it aired a shorter, extra targeted reply from the vp.

“We aren’t going to cease pursuing what is critical for the USA to be clear about the place we stand on the necessity for this battle to finish,” Harris stated within the primetime particular. 

CBS Information raised eyebrows by releasing two variations of an trade “60 Minutes” correspondent Invoice Whitaker had with Vice President Kamala Harris. (Screenshots/CBS Information)

Critics accused CBS Information of enhancing Harris’ “phrase salad” reply to defend the vp from additional backlash and there was rising requires the community to launch the total transcript after it solely shared transcripts of what had aired. 

Nevertheless, CBS Information did launch its full transcript of its 2021 interview with Harris, which included exchanges that didn’t make it to air. 

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Trump dramatically known as it probably the “greatest scandal in broadcast historical past” in a message posted to X.

On Sunday, CBS Information launched a press release saying Trump’s declare that “deceitful enhancing” was used is “false,” and defined that producers used a “extra succinct” portion of Harris’ reply. 

Fox Information’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.