Bernie Sanders Calls for a Fearless and Independent Media in the Face of Trump’s Legal Threats
On a recent Monday, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent, criticized President Donald Trump for his legal actions against the media, which Sanders views as a dangerous attempt to suppress journalistic freedom. He expressed concerns about media companies choosing to settle lawsuits instead of fighting them, labeling these decisions as perilous precedents.
In a social media video, Sanders pointed out that the parent company of CBS News, Paramount, is currently negotiating with Trump’s legal team regarding a possible settlement of a $10 billion lawsuit. This legal action was initiated by Trump right before the 2024 elections, accusing the “60 Minutes” program of misleadingly editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic candidate.
Sanders also brought attention to a situation last year involving ABC News, which agreed to a $15 million settlement that included an apology letter, following a comment by George Stephanopoulos, a seasoned anchor and political commentator. Stephanopoulos had incorrectly stated that Trump was found “liable for rape” concerning the case with writer E. Jean Carroll. Although a federal jury in Manhattan did find Trump civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation against Carroll, they did not find him liable for rape, despite Carroll’s detailed testimony alleging that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room during the 1990s.
Describing these incidents involving ABC and CBS as “incredibly dangerous precedents,” Sanders condemned the major media outlets for yielding to pressure from the Trump administration.
Sanders emphasized the importance of journalistic freedom, saying, “People have a right to express their own point of view. Yes, networks make mistakes all the time, about me, about Trump. But using government power to intimidate networks stifles major journalistic endeavors. They’ll hesitate to pursue significant stories or conduct thorough investigations if they fear retaliation from the Trump administration.”
The video also highlighted another lawsuit by Trump against pollster J. Ann Selzer, her company Selzer & Company, The Des Moines Register, and its parent company Gannett. This legal action claims fraud and blatant election interference based on a poll released on November 2, which showed Harris leading Trump by 3 points in Iowa for the 2024 election, despite Trump ultimately winning Iowa by 13 points.
Sanders expressed a dire warning about the implications for free speech, stressing, “If major media outlets give in to intimidation from the Trump administration, the First Amendment is seriously at risk. We need a press that reports the truth without fear of retribution.”
Accusations of self-censorship have also surfaced against major news organizations. Owners of The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, billionaires Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong respectively, have been criticized for banning or limiting opinion pieces that are either critical of Trump or supportive of his opponents.
Journalist David Helvarg recently criticized The Washington Post in an article for Common Dreams, stating, “If you believe The Washington Post’s slogan that ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness,’ then its owner was the first to turn off the lights.” Elie Mystal, a justice correspondent for The Nation, also commented last month that the current situation represents a media that is voluntarily relinquishing its First Amendment rights before Trump can take them away. He argued that the media fails to hold power accountable if that power threatens their interests or operations.
Mystal concluded with a call to action, urging readers and viewers to reject media outlets that prefer deception over truthful confrontation with Trump. He noted, “The debasement of the press will continue until the audience refuses to accept lies from the media fearful of Trump’s wrath.”
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