Sen. Warren on Colbert: “America Deserves to Know if Show Was Canceled for Political Reasons”

Sen. Warren on Colbert: “America Deserves to Know if Show Was Canceled for Political Reasons”

Thursday, in response to the news that CBS will be canceling the Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released the following statement:

“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just three days after Colbert called out CBS owner Paramount for its $16 settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery. America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

Just weeks ago, Paramount settled President Trump’s lawsuit against CBS’s 60 Minutes for $16 million, with the money funneling straight into President Trump’s Presidential Library. Paramount is currently vying for the Trump administration’s approval of its proposed megamerger with Skydance. 

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On Wednesday, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) introduced the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes, like the one that may have been employed in this deal, that allow Presidential Libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.

In May, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) also wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount Global (Paramount), with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance Media.