‘The FCC owes the public a transparent, deliberative process on such a high-profile and controversial issue,’ lawmakers wrote
CBS, Paramount to pay $16 million settlement to Trump
Fox & Friends co-host Charlie Hurt weighs in after CBS News and Paramount agreed to a settlement over the editing of the 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris that the Trump team claims influenced the 2024 election.
A pair of Democratic senators urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to hold a "full Commission vote" on the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger because the former’s recent eight-figure settlement with President Donald Trump "raises serious questions" about the editorial independence of CBS News.
CBS and parent company Paramount agreed to settle Trump’s "election interference" lawsuit last week, setting the stage for a long-planned merger of Paramount and Skydance to become official once the FCC approves the deal. But Trump critics have blasted the settlement and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., sent a letter addressing concerns on Thursday to FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty, who was nominated earlier this year by Trump.
"We write today regarding the proposed merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media now pending before the FCC. Paramount’s recent agreement to settle for $16 million a frivolous lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump against CBS — a Paramount subsidiary — over its editorial decision-making raises serious questions about Paramount’s rationale for the settlement and its implications for media independence," Markey and Lujan wrote.
Paramount Global and CBS agreed to settle President Trump’s $20 billion election interference lawsuit against the network. (Getty Images)
"For that reason, we urge you to insist that the FCC conduct its merger review with the utmost transparency, including holding a full Commission vote on any order to approve the merger," they continued. "The Paramount-Skydance merger is unique in the FCC’s storied history, with the sitting President actively litigating against a news organization whose parent is seeking FCC approval of a major media merger."
Trump was seeking $20 billion in his lawsuit against CBS over its handling of a "60 Minutes" interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the network of election interference through unethical editing to make her appear more articulate leading up to the 2024 contest.
The Democratic lawmakers blasted the lawsuit as "baseless," but said "Paramount has nevertheless agreed to settle that lawsuit for $16 million." Paramount's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone reportedly pushed for the settlement in hopes of paving the way for Trump’s FCC to approve the lucrative merger.
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"This settlement casts a shadow over the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger and raises serious questions about the editorial independence of one of the nation’s largest media organizations. The Commission cannot turn a blind eye to this context," Markey and Lujan wrote.
"For that reason, in our May letter, we urged Chairman Carr to hold a vote on the merger by the full Commission, instead of unilaterally directing the Media Bureau to approve it on its delegated authority," they added.
"The FCC owes the public a transparent, deliberative process on such a high-profile and controversial issue," they added.
The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
TOP '60 MINUTES' PRODUCER RESIGNS FROM SHOW, CITES LACK OF INDEPENDENCE
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., wants a "full Commission vote" on the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has learned that the sum being paid to Trump could reach north of $30 million, with $16 million being paid upfront for his future presidential library, in addition to another eight-figure allocation set aside for advertisements, public service announcements or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes paid for by the network’s incoming ownership in the future.
Paramount has defended the settlement.
"Companies often settle litigation to avoid the high and somewhat unpredictable costs of legal defense, the risk of an adverse judgment that could result in significant financial or reputational damage, and the disruption to business operations that prolonged legal battles can cause. Settlement offers a negotiated resolution that allows companies to focus on their core objectives rather than being mired in uncertainty and distraction," a Paramount spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
