Paramount accepts to pay Trump $ 16 million in a scandalous agreement

Despite the resignations of the personnel and the warning of the legislators, the Matrix of News, Paramount Global, was advanced and established with President Donald Trump for his demand of $ 20 billion complaining of an episode of “60 minutes”.

Paramount agreed to pay Trump $ 16 million in a movement that critics have warned that they could have serious implications for press freedom, which allows the president to get exactly the media that do not provide favorable coverage. The agreement also clarifies the dispute before Paramount’s requested merger with Skydance Media, which needs the approval of the Trump administration.

Brendan Carr, president appointed by Trump of the Federal Communications Commission, has insisted that the fundamental review of his fusion agency is not related to Trump’s demand. Carr received a bipartisan reprimand from the former FCC commissioners after reopening a separate case that involves “60 minutes.”

The liquidation funds will be assigned to a future presidential library, and will not be paid personally to Trump or the representative Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), the plaintiffs in the case, according to Paramount.

As part of the agreement, Paramount declared that “60 minutes” will publish interview transcripts he performs with the presidential candidates of the United States after they are issued. He added that this agreement “does not include a declaration of apology or regret”, which had previously been a point of discussion for Trump.

“Reward Trump with dozens of millions of dollars for submitting this false lawsuit will not get back in his war against the media and a free press,” warned a group of Democratic senators in a joint statement in May. “It will only be emboldened to Shakedown, Extoralsione and silence News and other media that have the courage to inform about the problems Trump may not like.”

Via News

A key figure in the agreement is the president of Paramount Global Shari Redstone, who controls the company with her family. In May, the sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) And Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) Sent a letter to Redstone a letter that expresses concern that she and other executives “may be involved in inappropriate behavior that involves the Trump administration in exchange for the approval of her Merger with Skydance Media.

A Redstone spokesman said he had challenged the settlement conversations. But Puck reported that Redstone had told “60 minutes” producers to stop in Trump’s critical stories until the merger was completed.

In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Paramount offered Trump $ 15 million to resolve its demand. According to the reports, he refused, demanding more than $ 25 million and an apology of News for his “60 minutes” episode with the then vice president Kamala Harris last October.

Then, at the end of June, a mediator proposed a $ 20 million agreement, with $ 17 million of ESO going to the Trump Presidential Foundation.

Trump affirmed in his demand that the interview with Harris, then his rival for the presidency, was cheated in a way that would increase his chances of winning the elections. When backward, News launched the complete transcription of the interview, demonstrating the public that it did not participate in any dire edition.

But Trump’s lawyers stated in May that he suffered a “mental anguish” of the interview, and the president continues to strengthen the “60 minutes” for his coverage, saying that News will have to “pay a great price” for pursuing him.

As the conversations of a settlement revolved, two of the main News employees resigned. In April, the main producer of “60 minutes”, Bill Owens left, saying that “it was clear that I would not be allowed to direct the program, since I have always executed it, to make independent decisions based on what was correct during the ’60 minutes’, correct for the audience.”

Then, in May, the executive director of News, Wendy McMahon, also announced that he would leave the network, saying in her resignation announcement that it had “it was clear that the company and I do not agree on the way to follow.”

Both were recently invited to testify at an audience before the Senate of the State of California, which is investigating if Paramount is violating any law when resolving with Trump.

“He goes after universities,” Sanders said about Trump. “He pursues law firms that have represented customers who did not like. This is authoritarianism.”