California opens inquiry into whether Paramount violated state bribery, competition laws, Semafor reports
WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - The California State Senate has opened an inquiry into whether Paramount (PARA.O), opens new tab violated state laws against bribery and unfair competition, Semafor reported on Friday.
The investigation comes after the network reportedly offered President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign $15 million to settle a lawsuit filed against CBS over an edited interview with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, the Wall Street Journal previously reported.
According to Semafaor, the Senate's communications committee and judiciary committee has invited two former CBS News officials to testify.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump's hush money case is back in court. These judges could decide what happens next
The appeals process begins in earnest on Wednesday, after a New York City jury last year convicted Donald Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a scheme to silence an adult film star, whose story about having sex with Trump threatened to derail his 2016 presidential campaign. That unanimous conviction on May 30 — and a judge's sentencing on January 10 that preserved the historic verdict — ensured that Trump would return to the White House as the first-ever criminally convicted president. The conviction carried no consequences for the president. Still, it left an indelible stain he has so far failed to remove despite successfully fighting off federal indictments that consumed his 2024 campaign. But his legal battle isn't over. On Wednesday, a federal appeals court in Manhattan will hear oral arguments as his attorneys attempt to transfer the case from New York criminal court to federal jurisdiction, a process known as 'removal.' The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg opposes the move, arguing such a case cannot be removed to federal court after a conviction. But attorneys for the president claim that his 'unprecedented prosecution 'belongs there. If the case is moved to federal court, Justice Department lawyers could theoretically dismiss it. In the weeks leading up to the 2016 election, Trump's then-attorney, Michael Cohen, paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 for the rights to her story, one of several so-called hush money schemes the president arranged with tabloid publishers to prevent embarrassing stories from being published anywhere. Trump then reimbursed Cohen in a series of checks, some of which were cut from the White House. Those reimbursements were falsely recorded in accounting records as 'legal expenses,' fulfilling what prosecutors called a conspiracy to influence the 2016 election unlawfully. A weeks-long trial in Manhattan criminal court last year included blockbuster testimony from Cohen, Daniels, White House aides, and Trump's allies. At the same time, emails, phone records, text messages, invoices, checks with Trump's Sharpie-inked signature, and other documents — including a handwritten note from his accountants that outlined the math for Cohen's checks — gave jurors the paper trail. Days before Trump's inauguration, and more than seven months after the jury's decision, New York Justice Juan Merchan handed Trump a sentence that preserved the verdict without any criminal consequences. Manhattan prosecutors and Judge Merchan agreed that the only remaining option for the conclusion of the case — navigating a landmark Supreme Court decision on 'immunity' and the potential interference with his second term — meant abandoning a typical sentence of jail, fines or probation. 'The only lawful sentence' that remained for Trump's crimes is that of an 'unconditional discharge,' Merchan told Trump during his sentencing hearing on January 10. Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing. His attorneys, whom the president has appointed to top roles at the Department of Justice, argued that certain evidence used at trial should have been withheld from jurors under the Supreme Court's 'immunity' decision, which shields the president from criminal prosecution for 'official' acts in office. However, those arguments were rejected by Judge Merchan, the New York appeals court, and the Supreme Court, which stated that Trump's challenges to 'alleged evidentiary violations' could be addressed through the normal course of appeal. Meanwhile, Trump's long-simmering fight to move the case entirely out of the hands of state courts will be heard before a panel of federal appeals court judges. The president has hired the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell to support his federal appeal. Last month, Justice Department lawyers filed a supporting brief in the case, arguing that the judges should throw it out entirely. Trump is simultaneously appealing an $83 million verdict in a defamation case from E. Jean Carroll as well as a massive judgment against him in a sprawling civil fraud case, with interest growing to more than half a billion dollars owed to the state of New York after the president and his top associates defrauded banks and investors to benefit his real-estate empire.
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Sales rise for Zara owner Inditex but pace of growth slows ahead of summer
The owner of Zara has reported rising sales in recent weeks but a slowdown in the pace of growth as the fashion giant staves off the impact of economic uncertainty on global consumer confidence. Inditex, which is Europe's largest fashion retailer, said store and online sales between May 1 and June 9 rose 6% compared with the same period last year. Spring and summer collections were being received well by shoppers, it said. Sales between February and April" data-source="Inditex"> It nonetheless reflected slower sales growth than the same time last year – when sales leapt 12% higher ahead of the peak summer months. Sales over its latest quarter, between February and April, rose to 8.3 billion euros (£7 billion). This was 4.2% higher than the same period a year ago, at constant currency rates, but slightly fell short of analysts' expectations for the quarter. Spain-based Inditex, which also owns the Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, and Stradivarius brands, said the 'optimisation' of its stores was ongoing in a bid to improve productivity. At the end of the latest quarter, it operated 5,562 shops around the world – more than 100 fewer than the 5,698 it had last year. Concerns that consumer confidence in global markets, particularly the US, has been impacted by economic and trade uncertainty have risen in recent months. US President Donald Trump's tariff plans led some economists to cut the outlook for global growth. Meanwhile, power outages in Spain and Portugal – key markets for Inditex – caused major disruption, bringing much of the countries' systems to a standstill for a short period.
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
South Korea halts loudspeaker broadcasts along border with rival North Korea
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
