By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed continued skepticism regarding the Paramount-Skydance merger, alleging potential “corrupt side deals or political favors” with the Trump administration. Despite denials from both companies, Warren found their responses to her inquiries, which also included questions from other Senators, insufficient. These queries stemmed from a $16 million settlement between Paramount and Trump, along with claims of a “secret side deal” involving advertising contributions. The Senator stated the contradictory statements from Paramount and Skydance have only intensified the need for an independent investigation into potential wrongdoing, raising further concern about whether there was any criminal behavior.
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After Skydance Doesn’t Deny ‘Side Deal’ With Trump as Part of CBS Settlement, Sen. Warren Repeats Call for Investigation Into Potential ‘Criminal Behavior’
It seems pretty straightforward – Senator Elizabeth Warren isn’t letting up on the questions surrounding the potential for a shady deal between Paramount Global, Skydance Media, and the Trump administration. The core of her concern, which she shares with other Senators, is whether the $16 million settlement paid to Donald Trump by CBS, in a lawsuit related to his “60 Minutes” appearance, was, in fact, a bribe to grease the wheels for the Skydance-Paramount merger. The fact that Skydance hasn’t outright denied the existence of a “side deal,” as part of their response to her inquiries, has clearly fueled her suspicions.
In essence, the crux of the matter is this: Was the settlement simply a way to make a lawsuit go away, or was it a political favor, a quid-pro-quo arrangement designed to win favor with Trump’s administration and secure the merger’s approval? Senator Warren’s letter to Skydance’s CEO, along with similar letters to Paramount’s co-CEOs, co-signed by fellow Senators, clearly indicates the gravity of these suspicions. She’s not taking the corporations’ responses at face value, and it is fair to say she’s signaling that something about the responses seems fishy. The cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” just days after Colbert’s comments on the “big fat bribe,” has also raised a few eyebrows.
The situation, from an outside perspective, seems to revolve around what appears to be an attempt to buy favor. Let’s face it, Trump’s lawsuit against CBS was, by most accounts, frivolous. It was so lacking in merit that legal experts would have likely expected it to be dismissed swiftly. So, why would CBS, and now Skydance, choose to settle? It suggests the possibility that it was worth the money to avoid any potential obstacles to the merger, or perhaps even, to garner other political advantages.
The corporations’ reticence to firmly deny the existence of a “side deal,” and the timing of the cancellation of Colbert’s show, only seem to deepen the cloud of suspicion. To be fair, the question becomes: are these big corporations underestimating the public’s ability to see through this? Perhaps they’re operating under the belief that such actions are acceptable, or that they can get away with it. Given the political climate and the current level of mistrust in institutions, it wouldn’t be surprising.
The core of the matter comes down to this: what constitutes “criminal behavior” is now a really blurry topic. The legal and ethical lines seem to be getting a little fuzzy. It’s frustrating to witness a situation where it feels like different rules are applied to different individuals. If it is truly the case, it certainly isn’t going to help to restore faith in the integrity of the institutions.
If the Skydance-Paramount merger was indeed facilitated through such a deal, it would, at a minimum, be ethically dubious, and potentially illegal. Senator Warren is correct in her call for a “full, independent investigation” to ascertain the truth. This investigation is crucial to maintain public trust and hold accountable anyone who may have engaged in corrupt practices.
It seems like the public is tired of seeing the same pattern: corruption, lack of transparency, and a failure to hold those in power accountable. There is a real need for transparency, not just for the sake of legal compliance, but also to ensure that the public feels like these deals are not being done in the shadows.