CBS News Releases "60 Minutes" Materials Related to Kamala Harris Lawsuit



CBS News has made public all materials relating to the "60 Minutes" interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which sparked a $10 billion lawsuit from President Donald Trump and prompted scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). According to a statement released on Wednesday, the materials "show that consistent with 60 Minutes' repeated assurances to the public, the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful."

Legal Proceedings

Filed in the Northern District of Texas in November, the lawsuit alleges that "60 Minutes" misled voters by airing two different edits of Harris's remarks during an interview. CBS subsequently filed a motion to dismiss the case.

FCC Investigation

On Monday, CBS News provided the FCC with an unedited transcript of the Harris interview, responding to an inquiry letter from the regulatory body. FCC Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez raised concerns about the inquiry, stating that it "disregards long-standing norms and ignores the mandate granted by Congress."

Central Issue

The dispute centers on an excerpt of the interview that aired during "Face the Nation" to promote the upcoming "60 Minutes" episode ahead of the 2024 presidential election. While the excerpt aired at a shorter length on "60 Minutes," CBS argues that both edits "reflect the substance" of Harris's answer.

Response from CBS

According to the CBS News statement, the full transcript shows that the interview was edited to include as much of Harris's answers as possible while maintaining fairness. CBS emphasizes that the "hard-hitting questions" asked by "60 Minutes" underscore the veracity of the interview.

FCC Transcript and Analysis

The FCC released the transcript on Wednesday, prompting Commissioner Gomez to note that the materials do not suggest any FCC rule violations by CBS or its affiliates. She urged the FCC to discontinue the investigation, calling it a "fishing expedition."

Paramount Global's Concerns

The lawsuit and FCC investigation have raised concerns within Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News. Sources indicate that Paramount is considering a settlement to bolster an existing deal to sell to Skydance Media. However, senior executives have indicated that they do not believe a settlement is necessary.