**Senators Warn Paramount Global Against Settling Trump Lawsuit**

Three U.S. senators are sounding alarms to Paramount Global and Shari Redstone, cautioning that settling President Trump's lawsuit against CBS may violate federal anti-bribery laws. In a publicly posted letter, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Ron Wyden raised concerns that Paramount’s settlement negotiations with Trump's legal team could undermine CBS's First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit in question claims that CBS's "60 Minutes" fraudulently edited an interview with Kamala Harris, violating Texas consumer protection statutes, and demands at least $20 billion in damages. Paramount and CBS have refuted these claims, describing the legal action as baseless and an affront to constitutional free speech protections.

The senators' letter dated May 19 warns against a possible quid pro quo arrangement where Paramount settles the lawsuit in exchange for favorable treatment from the Trump administration regarding its merger with Skydance Media. They cited the federal bribery statute, which makes it illegal to offer anything of value to public officials to influence official actions.

Despite the senators’ concerns, a spokesperson for Paramount reiterated that the lawsuit and the Skydance transaction are separate matters, and that the company intends to defend its case through the legal process. Meanwhile, White House spokesman Harrison Fields dismissed the senator’s letter as desperate political posturing.

Additionally, recent resignations at CBS News, including CBS News president Wendy McMahon and "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, have intensified scrutiny. Senators Warren, Sanders, and Wyden linked these departures to the Trump lawsuit, suggesting that Paramount’s pursuit of the merger might be hampering journalistic independence.

The senators posed specific questions to Paramount, seeking clarity on the legitimacy of Trump’s lawsuit, potential shareholder risks, and any alterations to "60 Minutes" content aimed at facilitating the merger’s approval. They also inquired about Paramount’s policies regarding compliance with public corruption laws.

As negotiations unfold, Redstone remains recused from settlement discussions, although she had encouraged efforts toward mediation. Trump, meanwhile, has been vocal on his social media platform Truth Social, strongly asserting the merits of his lawsuit and accusing CBS and "60 Minutes" of deceptive practices.

These developments continue to unfold under the watchful eyes of multiple stakeholders, with significant implications for media integrity and corporate governance.