"Unprecedented": Now-Fired CBS Reporter Who Investigated Biden Laptop Story Has Personal Files Seized By Network
Just when you thought the Hunter Biden laptop cover-up had ended...
A bombshell report from the NY Post dropped this week, stating that reporter Catherine Herridge of CBS had "her personal files seized by the network" in what is being called an "unprecedented" move. Herridge was investigating the Hunter Biden laptop story prior to her firing.
Last week she was one of about 20 staffers fired from CBS as part of cuts at parent company Paramount, according to the NY Post.
“It’s so extraordinary,” one source told The Post.
“They never seize documents [when you’re let go],” a second source close to the network said. They added: “They want to see what damaging documents she has.”
The Post reported that a CBS spokesperson said: “We have respected her request to not go through the files, and out of our concern for confidential sources, the office she occupied has remained secure since her departure."
“We are prepared to pack up the rest of her files immediately on her behalf – with her representative present as she requested,” they added.
The network's decision to retain her personal items and work laptop, leaving staff unsettled, was further complicated by the withholding of Herridge's notes and files, raising concerns over potential impacts on her First Amendment rights.
Jonathan Turley commented in an opinion piece for The Hill: “She was pursuing stories that were unwelcomed by the Biden White House and many Democratic powerhouses, including the Hur report on Joe Biden’s diminished mental capacity, the Biden corruption scandal and the Hunter Biden laptop.”
Retaining Catherine Herridge's notes and files raises concerns over the security of her confidential sources and the potential violation of HIPAA laws, given the inclusion of personal medical records.
Insiders worry this could affect her legal battles, including a case where she's at risk of contempt for not revealing a source. Herridge's troubles extend to disputes over coverage and conflicts with CBS News leadership, fueling speculation that her dismissal might lead to legal action for wrongful termination.
Herridge is defending a source's identity in a First Amendment case, amidst criticism of CBS's handling of the situation. Critics and SAG-AFTRA, the representing union, have voiced alarm, arguing CBS's actions undermine media freedoms and set a troubling precedent. The union is actively engaging with CBS News, aiming for a swift resolution.