Fair Election Fund Calls for FCC Accountability Over CBS’s Editing of Kamala Harris Interview

FIRST ON FOX — The Fair Election Fund, a prominent national watchdog focused on election integrity, has urged the Federal Communications Commission to hold CBS accountable for alleged unlawful actions tied to a controversial ’60 Minutes’ interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former President Donald Trump has accused CBS of election interference, claiming the network facilitated a biased portrayal of his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, by manipulating video footage just a month before the pivotal presidential election. The October 2024 interview has sparked ongoing scrutiny, with Trump initiating legal proceedings and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding the release of unedited transcripts and raw footage.

In defiance of the allegations, CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, maintain that their editorial practices were above board. However, the Fair Election Fund asserts that the editing represents an improper contribution to the Harris campaign.

James Tyrell, counsel for the Fair Election Fund, outlined their concerns in a letter to the FCC, which has been obtained by Fox News Digital. He stated, “Upon review of the video and transcript linked to the Public Notice, we find it necessary to inform the Commission that CBS has not only engaged in improper news distortion, but has also exploited the ‘media exemption’ established under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974, as amended (FECA).”

Tyrell further emphasized the need for accountability, asserting, “We respectfully request that the Commission hold CBS accountable for its unlawful conduct. By significantly editing Ms. Harris’ responses in the CBS Interview, CBS has exceeded the scope of the ‘legitimate press function’ and therefore constitutes an improper contribution to Ms. Harris’ campaign.”

The implications are concerning. Tyrell articulated, “The heavily edited CBS Interview far surpasses CBS’ legitimate press activities,” urging the FCC to take affirmative action.

He added, “The outcomes of the 2024 Presidential Election illustrate a troubling trend: the American public’s waning trust in the media. Regardless of the Commission’s decision on this matter, restoring that lost trust will be a formidable challenge. The critical question remains whether the Commission will further erode public confidence in U.S. governance by allowing a biased media entity to escape scrutiny.”

Tyrell also indicated that the issue of news distortion is part of a broader, troubling trend. He pointed out, “For instance, many Americans have publicly condemned journalists for ‘covering up’ former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and failing to question the White House about it.”

This pattern of behavior reflects a growing disillusionment among citizens towards the media. Tyrell lamented, “It is unfortunate that media professionals persist in advancing their own agendas at the expense of delivering complete information. Such manipulation should not be tolerated by this Commission.”

Chairman Carr, appointed by Trump and who previously described CBS’s editorial decisions as “hard to explain,” has solicited public input as part of an ongoing review into the ’60 Minutes’ interview. Last month, Carr mandated CBS News to submit the unedited transcript amid allegations of violating the FCC’s policies on news distortion following a filed complaint. CBS initially resisted the request until Carr intervened.

According to Carr, “Every piece of evidence indicates that the American people have significantly lost faith in legacy national news media. Citizens perceive these outlets as steering public opinion toward favorable political narratives rather than adhering to impartial reporting. Concerning CBS, the FCC is facilitating a transparent review process that allows all Americans to engage. I welcome the Federal Election Commission’s perspective on the issues presented here.”

The repercussions of the decision are critical. The raw transcript demonstrated that CBS aired only half of Harris’ answer to a question concerning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the ’60 Minutes’ segment, while presenting an altered version of her answer in a clip aired on ‘Face the Nation.’

During that exchange, Whitaker noted, “But it appears that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening.” He referenced a Wall Street Journal article highlighting concerns about the Biden administration being blindsided by Netanyahu.

Harris’s response initially seemed lengthy and convoluted, which led to conservatives mockingly labeling it as ‘word salad’. Later in the primetime special, the edited version revealed a more concise response from Harris that lacked the initial embellishment.

Critics charged CBS with deliberately trimming Harris’s remarks to shield her from backlash. The edited answer was perceived as providing a more agreeable narrative, in stark contrast to her original lengthy explanation.

In response to the complaints regarding CBS’s editing practices, Paramount Global has issued statements defending their editorial decisions. They contend that the complaint regarding ‘news distortion’ threatens to create a less free media environment where government censors dictate editorial policies essential to news production.

Paramount’s executives argued, “The First Amendment protections extend to all Americans, including broadcasters like CBS. A broadcaster’s exercise of editorial discretion is protected speech. Moreover, exploring allegations based on disagreements over editorial decisions leads to complicated legal scenarios unsuitable for government agencies like the Commission.”

They emphasized, “Traditionally, Supreme Court jurisprudence on broadcasting does not support a governmental authority’s ability to question a broadcaster’s editorial choices.”

As of now, the FCC has yet to formally respond to Paramount’s assertions. In the meantime, Trump has escalated the pressure on CBS, having filed a monumental $20 billion lawsuit alleging election interference due to its alleged biased portrayal of the interview. He accuses CBS of aiding his political opponent through misleading editing on the eve of a crucial election.

In court documents analyzed by Fox News Digital, Paramount challenged the basis of Trump’s lawsuit, asserting it was improperly filed in a Texas court, given that neither the company nor CBS operate within that jurisdiction.

In their counterarguments, Paramount described Trump’s lawsuit as “an affront to the First Amendment” and lacking substantial legal foundations. They insist the legal action attempts to penalize a news organization for exercising constitutionally safeguarded editorial discretion.

Despite these challenges, Trump’s legal representatives express confidence. Attorney Ed Paltzik asserted, “President Trump intends to hold accountable those who propagate falsehoods and deception in the media. CBS and Paramount engaged in severe election interference during a critical phase of the presidential campaign. President Trump will pursue this issue until it reaches a just resolution.”

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.