OJ Simpson’s attorney slams court’s decision after Diddy verdict stuns courtroom
Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges Wednesday following a two-month trial where his legal team argued that the case was about “voluntary adult choices,” not a “mean” man running a criminal enterprise.
After the verdict was read, people in the courtroom began shouting “dream team” to Diddy’s high-profile lawyers, a team headed by Teny Geragos and Marc Agnifilo. Geragos cried as she hugged Diddy’s family.
The other lawyers include Brian Steel — who recently represented rapper Young Thug — Anna Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Xavier R. Donaldson and Alexandra Shapiro.
The “dream team” nickname first made headlines in 1995 for the group of defense lawyers who represented OJ Simpson in his eight-month trial for the alleged murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
DIDDY BEATS RICO, FOUND NOT GUILTY OF RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY AND SEX TRAFFICKING
Robert Shapiro, the first member and initial chair of Simpson’s defense team, praised Diddy’s legal counsel following the verdict.
“The defense team did a terrific job on a case the U.S. Attorney overcharged,” Robert Shapiro told Fox News Digital. “An acquittal in Federal Court is highly unusual. Congratulations to Mark and Tenny for building an incredible group of talented lawyers.”
WATCH: Diddy’s legal team won’t stop until he walks a ‘free man,’ rapper’s attorney Marc Agnifilo says
DIDDY JURY DEADLOCKED AFTER RAPPER’S DEFENSE PLAYED ‘HIGH STAKES POKER’: EXPERT
Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, Barry Scheck, F. Lee Bailey, Shapiro and Alan Dershowitz comprised the dream team who helped get Simpson acquitted nearly 30 years ago.
Professor emeritus Dershowitz admitted Diddy’s dream team made the right decision by not letting the Bad Boy Records founder testify in his federal trial for sex crimes.
“Ultimately, the smart decision was not putting OJ on the witness stand,” he told Fox News Digital. “The smart decision here was not putting Combs on the witness stand. The difference is we want a complete victory. They got a partial victory, but an almost complete victory, so I commend them for excellent work.”
He added, “I think this was a good day for justice today, and it showed the power of juries to stand up against the federal government. And that’s a necessary check on the excesses of prosecutors.”
DIDDY JURY SETBACK COULD INDICATE A ‘STEALTH JUROR,’ MIGHT SIGNAL MAJOR ADVANTAGE FOR DEFENSE: EXPERT
Following the verdict, Dershowitz condemned the court’s decision to not grant Diddy bail.
“Vindictive and wrong,” Dershowitz said. “He was convicted of transactional, consensual sex with 2 adults.”
WATCH: PROFESSOR EMERITUS ALAN DERSHOWITZ DISCUSSES KEY MOVE IN DIDDY TRIAL
Geragos, known just as much for her last name as she is for her work in the courtroom, first earned fans last year with social media clips about her rapper client.
Teny also gained recognition for her opening remarks during Diddy’s federal trial, where she argued that the case was about “voluntary adult choices,” which the government was attempting to skew into a narrative to fit a sex trafficking charge.
The daughter of criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos graduated from Loyola Law School Los Angeles in 2016. Her father is known for representing several high-profile clients, including Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson, Jussie Smollett, Colin Kaepernick and, most recently, the Menendez brothers in their successful pursuit of resentencing.
She then worked with Brafman & Associates for eight years before becoming a founding partner of Agnifilo Intrater. Geragos serves on the board of directors of the New York Criminal Bar Association and is certified to practice law in New York and California.
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During opening statements of Diddy’s trial, which began on May 5, Teny asked the jury to consider the federal charges, not the choices of an at-times violent man.
WATCH: Diddy trial was a ‘colossal failure by the prosecution,’ attorney Mark Geragos says
“Sean Combs is a complicated man, but this is not a complicated case,” Teny told the court. “This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money. This case is about voluntary adult choices made by capable adults and consensual relationships. This case is about those real-life relationships, and the government is trying to turn those relationships into a racketeering case, a prostitution case and a sex trafficking case. It will not work.”
She noted that Diddy “has a bad temper” and at times gets “so angry or so jealous that he is out of control,” but she emphasized that the “Victory” rapper was not charged with “being mean.”
“He is not charged with being a jerk. He’s charged with running a racketeering enterprise,” Teny said. “And though there was violence that you are going to hear about, you already have, that violence is not part of any RICO. That violence is not connected to sex trafficking and that violence is not prostitution.”
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Agnifilo is no stranger to high-profile cases as a criminal defense lawyer based in New York. The former assistant district attorney previously worked for Brafman & Associates for more than 15 years before founding his own firm, Agnifilo Intrater, in 2024.
He’s familiar with high-profile trials and district attorney investigations after representing a number of prominent clients, including “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli and NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere.
The Agnifilo household is familiar with high-profile cases, with Marc’s wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo leading the defense for alleged health care CEO assassin Luigi Mangione.
The jury found Diddy not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty on both counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Following the verdict, his defense pushed back after the judge denied the rapper’s request for bail.
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Agnifilo argued that Diddy has done remarkable things in his life. He is a businessman and a serious person, the attorney noted, adding Diddy has seemingly been a model prisoner in a very difficult situation at MDC Brooklyn. According to Agnifilo, he has no issues on his record.
“Diddy is a man who has lived up to his obligations,” the lawyer said. “Jury gave him a chance at life today.”
The government said Diddy is very wealthy, brazen, and dangerous. They noted that any chance of jail time is a reason to flee. They accused Diddy of having a short temper, and noted how the rapper has abused people violently.
“It was also brazen for him to have drugs and supplies for prostitution waiting while he was arrested,” prosecutors argued. A sentencing hearing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3.
After the trial concluded, Diddy’s team spoke at a press conference, with Agnifilo vowing that they wouldn’t stop until he walks a “free man.”
Several missing as power outages, evacuations continue amid fireworks facility blast
Hundreds of people are without power, and seven people remain missing after a violent explosion at a fireworks facility in Yolo County, California, early Tuesday evening.
At least two people were injured in the explosion, which happened just before 6 p.m. local time at a facility housing commercial fireworks in Esparto.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence confirmed firefighters initially entered the building, but were later pulled out due to “the severity and the risks that were there.”
CREWS RESPOND TO MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS AT FIREWORKS FACILITY IN CALIFORNIA
Officials said they have not re-entered the building to search for the missing people, opting to use drones for aerial reconnaissance over the large debris field.
Though it is unclear if the missing people were employees at the facility, no firefighters were injured in the explosion.
CHINA CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION LEAVES AT LEAST 5 DEAD
Lawrence said officials do not know when it will be safe enough for firefighters to go back to the site.
Initially, more than 30 fire apparatus responded. As of Wednesday afternoon, only a few remained.
“I can say I have not seen anything like this,” Lawrence said. “This is obviously an incident of great magnitude. … My next priority is going to be working with the command team to start working on trying to reduce this exclusion zone so that we can start to get our constituents back into their houses and try to get what we can reenergized in the area when it’s safe.”
Evacuation orders remain in place for two nearby zones, and more than 150 customers do not have power.
EXPLOSION ROCKS PALM SPRINGS, DAMAGING BUILDINGS AND SENDING DEBRIS INTO THE STREET
“Our agency, being here in the local in a small community, we are primarily volunteer agencies,” Lawrence said. “I would be remiss if I didn’t add that I’m really thankful and proud of all of our responders that stepped up yesterday, and even today, and came out here. … We appreciate all the responders and the mutual aid partners that came and assisted us.”
CAL FIRE confirmed the building was owned by an active pyrotechnic license holder, though the owner’s identity has not yet been released.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is leading the investigation, sent an arson and bomb investigation team to the area, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s office.
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As of Wednesday afternoon, 78.3 acres had burned with 0% containment, according to CAL FIRE.
Officials have not yet released the cause of the fire.
Democratic lawmaker under fire for ‘disgusting’ attack on immigration agents
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., defended a recent social media post calling ICE a “terrorist force” Wednesday.
During an interview with Brianna Keilar on “CNN News Central,” the host spoke to Jayapal about her Tuesday Instagram post where she wrote that “ICE is acting like a terrorist force. People across the country of all legal statuses — including U.S. citizens — are being kidnapped and disappeared off the street by masked men. No oversight, no accountability. Completely lawless.”
Keilar asked Jayapal to respond to a statement from White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, which was obtained by Fox News Digital.
ICE OFFICIAL PUTS POLITICIANS ON BLAST, DEMANDING THEY ‘STOP PUTTING MY PEOPLE IN DANGER’
In the statement, Jackson said, “Jayapal’s disgusting comments warrant an immediate apology. Heroic ICE officers are simply doing their jobs and enforcing federal immigration law, with the utmost professionalism.”
“Dangerous smears by deranged leftists like Jayapal radicalize their supporters to violently attack and obstruct federal law enforcement. Because of comments like Jayapal’s, assaults against ICE agents have increased by 500% this year. And that number will go even higher if Jayapal doesn’t stop with her smears,” Jackson added.
Jayapal responded, “What is deranged and cruel and outrageous is that, literally, we are seeing ICE agents, I assume they‘re ICE agents. They say they are. They don‘t have any identification. They‘re wearing masks. They‘re in plain clothes. They are coming and kidnapping and disappearing people on the streets of the United States.”
“I never in a million years thought that that is something that I would see here in America,” she added. “And so I think it is the administration that has to apologize to U.S. citizens that have been rounded up to legal, permanent residents, to people with legal statuses across the country who are getting swept up, people who have been here for 20 years and committed no crimes, getting swept up by masked men who are kidnaping them and deporting them.”
Jayapal called ICE’s immigration enforcement “outrageous,” “unconstitutional,” and “illegal.”
‘SQUAD’ DEM SAYS TRUMP MAY JAIL PEOPLE ‘FOR PRACTICING DIVERSITY’ AFTER VISITING ICE-DETAINED STUDENTS
“It is absolutely terrorizing people, including small businesses, farmers,” Jayapal said. “The round table I had in Spokane was with people from the Growers League, farmers who are terrified, restaurant owners who can‘t have, you know, who are seeing their sales go down because nobody wants to come out and eat. Literally. People are so afraid, Brianna. It‘s never something I thought I would see in the United States of America. The White House owes an apology to the American people for what they are doing.”
Border czar Tom Homan brought up attacks on ICE agents on Monday during an appearance on “The Will Cain Show” where he also criticized a new app called ICEBlock that is reportedly being used to track ICE agents.
“Assault against ICE is up over 500%,” Homan said. “Now you’ve got an app that’s going to tell where ICE operations are going to. It’s only a matter of time before ICE agents are ambushed by some nut, like what happened in L.A., throwing them out a cocktail, throwing bricks at these officers. This is just disgusting at every level.”
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Southernmost city in hot water after voting to end agreement that removed criminals
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said leaders in the state’s most southern municipality face possible removal from office if they fail to restore an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On Tuesday, the Key West city commissioners voted 5-1 to void an agreement that requires its police department to partner with ICE.
The federal program known as 287(g) allows local authorities to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions, including allowing officers to question, arrest and detain people suspected of violating immigration law.
LARGE CITY SIGNS ONTO DEAL WITH ICE: ‘KEEP THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAFE’
“I try not to make decisions with my heart because it can get me into trouble,” said Commissioner Donald Lee, the city’s former police chief who voted to sever the so-called 287(g) agreement, the Miami Herald reported. “Tonight, I am going to make a decision from my heart, and I hope it doesn’t get the city in trouble.”
In a letter Wednesday to the commissioners, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said their vote violates state law and has essentially made Key West a “sanctuary city.”
“Florida law unequivocally forbids sanctuary cities,” Uthmeier wrote while demanding the city reverse course. “Failure to take corrective action will result in the enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including removal from office by the governor.”
FLORIDA HALTS MIGRANT ARRESTS AFTER JUDGE REBUKES STATE OVER IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
Fox News Digital has reached out to Uthmeier, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the six Key West commissioners.
Law enforcement agencies that operate county jails in Florida must enter partnerships with the federal government so their officers can carry out limited immigration agent functions, the Herald reported.
On Tuesday, DeSantis told reporters Key West leaders could face suspension for not upholding the agreement.
“I think the attorney general has weighed in on that, and I’ll let him do the analysis and send them whatever warnings need to be sent,” DeSantis said at the opening of the new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Everglades.
“But the reality is you have a responsibility for full participation,” he added. “And you can virtue signal and try to make political statements, but the reality is local governments have to abide by Florida law.”
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Criminal illegal immigrants were expected be “checking in” to the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility Wednesday night, Uthmeier said.
“Next stop: back to where they came from,” he wrote on X.
Parent discovers ‘indoctrination’ at taxpayer-funded Smithsonian exhibits
On a sweltering day recently, I found myself in need of an indoor activity for me and my six kids. Living near the nation’s capital has its perks, chief among them, the Smithsonian museums. So, we headed into D.C. for a dose of air conditioning and culture.
As we walked in, we were greeted by a relic from the pandemic era: a sign listing “recommended” health and safety measures like masking, social distancing, and sanitizing, straight out of 2021, when the museums finally reopened after more than a year of COVID-19 closures.
Our 4-year-old chose the destination: the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, specifically to see the dinosaur bones and dioramas. But we quickly got more than we bargained for. A large section of the exhibit is devoted not to the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs — but to climate change.
MUSEUM STAFF LEAVES ‘MONA LISA’ FANS HIGH AND DRY AS LOUVRE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING
This wasn’t surprising. We’ve come to expect ideological hectoring at the Smithsonians. At the National Zoo, it often feels like for every exhibit about an animal’s habitat or diet, there’s a parallel one warning that it’s going extinct because of climate change.
“Hey kids, enjoying the zebra? Great—because he’s probably not going to make it, thanks to your parents’ SUV.”
At the Natural History Museum, the messaging is equally dire — except this time, humans are the endangered species. One exhibit states, “Since the last ice age, Earth’s climate has warmed. But now that warming is getting faster because of us.”
STATE DEPT DEFENDS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE REPORT CHANGES, SAYS STREAMLINED PROCESS ELIMINATES ‘POLITICAL BIAS’
The message is clear: “Hope you liked the dinosaur bones, kids — because we might be next.”
But climate change isn’t the only narrative on display.
At the National Museum of American History, visitors get a heavy dose of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Despite the fast-approaching 250th anniversary of America’s founding, there were no visible exhibits or events celebrating the milestone. In the week leading up to the Fourth of July, the museum’s homepage highlighted four features: a lunch counter sit-in, women’s suffrage, a 19th-century Black firefighter and a community center for pregnant Latina immigrants. The Smithsonian did not respond to questions on deadline.
As one historian told me, “The second-floor popular culture exhibit — probably the most popular in the museum — is a Marxist struggle session. Every single exhibit is interpreted through a race-class-gender lens.”
ANCIENT TEN COMMANDMENTS FRAGMENT OF 2,000-YEAR-OLD MANUSCRIPT TO GO ON DISPLAY AT REAGAN LIBRARY
This pattern isn’t confined to the Smithsonian system. Two years ago, at the Hirshhorn Museum, my kids picked up a children’s book titled, “My Own Way: Celebrating Gender Freedom For Kids.” One page reads, “You may be both… you may be none!” Another shows a naked child looking at a clothesline with the caption, “Your truth isn’t hidden underneath your clothes.”
Even museums outside the capital — many of which still receive federal funding — are echoing the same themes. During a recent visit to the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia, we expected to see paintings and sculptures. Instead, my kids were drawn to an exhibit filled with video screens titled, “Jamestown is Sinking.”
According to the exhibit description: “In the photographic series Jamestown is Sinking and the video installation The Interpreters, Greta Pratt explores the relationship between climate change and colonialism in Virginia’s Tidewater region… compelling viewers to examine how colonialization, spurred on by capitalist interests, has dramatically altered the natural environment.”
In other words: climate change, colonialism, capitalism — buzzword bingo in a single art exhibit.
TRUMP’S DOGE PUSH SLASHES MILLIONS IN DEI CONTRACTS FUNDING ‘DIVISIVE IDEOLOGIES’ IN BLUE STATES
Although the Chrysler Museum isn’t funded exclusively by taxpayer dollars, it has received $1.2 million in federal grants over the years from agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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Which raises the obvious question: Why are our tax dollars underwriting this?
Erik H. Neil, the Macon and Joan Brock Director at the Chrysler Museum, defended the exhibit: “We’re honored to exhibit the work of Greta Pratt, a celebrated local artist and recent recipient of a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. The Chrysler Museum of Art is dedicated to fostering creativity, encouraging thoughtful dialogue, and exploring our shared humanity through art. We believe Pratt’s work contributes meaningfully to civic discourse, and we remain committed to presenting a wide spectrum of viewpoints without limiting artistic expression.”
There is a glimmer of hope. At the Kennedy Center, Richard Grenell has started cleaning house — aiming to ensure that publicly funded art is about art, not indoctrination. It’s a long-overdue shift that could mark a turning point.
As one historian told me, “The second-floor popular culture exhibit — probably the most popular in the museum — is a Marxist struggle session. Every single exhibit is interpreted through a race-class-gender lens.”
And it appears the issue is already on the administration’s radar. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Smithsonian is undergoing a sweeping review of all content across its 21 museums and zoo to eliminate political bias. According to internal documents, the decision came during a closed-door Board of Regents meeting on June 9. The review follows President Donald Trump’s March executive order calling for the removal of “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” and the restoration of exhibits that reflect “American and Western values.”
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With more than 30 million visitors expected to descend on Washington, D.C. for the nation’s Semiquincentennial next year, the clock is ticking. If nothing changes, they’ll walk into the Museum of American History and leave not with a celebration of our founding — but with a guilt trip.
Time is of the essence.
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CBS staffers revolt over Paramount’s ‘shameful’ settlement to Trump
CBS News staffers are furious at their parent company Paramount Global’s eight-figure settlement to President Donald Trump that was struck late Tuesday night, ending his $20 billion lawsuit against the network.
“This settlement is a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount, and a fundamental betrayal of ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News,” veteran “60 Minutes” producer Rome Hartman told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital has learned that the sum being paid to Trump could reach north of $30 million, with $16 million being paid upfront for his future presidential library, in addition to another eight-figure allocation set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes by the network in the future.
Current Paramount management disputes the additional allocation, and a source familiar with Paramount’s current leadership told Fox New Digital only $16 million was sanctioned by the official mediator, and they have no knowledge of any deal Trump made with incoming ownership as Paramount is set to merge with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. However, the incoming ownership will be responsible for the additional allocation.
PARAMOUNT, CBS FORCED TO PAY EIGHT FIGURES, CHANGE EDITORIAL POLICY IN SETTLEMENT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
The lawsuit stemmed from the “60 Minutes” interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris that aired in October and alleged CBS News deceptively edited an exchange to aid her candidacy in the 2024 race.
Hartman, who was one of the producers of the “60 Minutes” Harris interview, maintains that his corporate bosses knew the segment that aired “was edited by the book and in accordance with CBS News standards.” Hartman insisted any talk of a settlement was at the behest of Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone in hopes of paving the for the Skydance merger without potential retribution of the Trump-backed FCC, which could halt the deal. Redstone recused herself from settlement negotiations in February.
“They know that this lawsuit is completely baseless. But they settled it in order to preserve Shari Redstone’s payday. That is shameful,” Hartman told Fox News Digital.
BERNIE SANDERS BLASTS PARAMOUNT, SAYS LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT WILL FURTHER EMBOLDEN TRUMP TO ATTACK MEDIA
A second CBS News journalist told Fox News Digital, “Nobody is happy,” but the entire newsroom anticipated the outcome.
“I think the terms look as good as they could be in this situation with no apology, etc,” the CBS journalist said.
As part of the agreement, CBS News did not admit to any wrongdoing nor issue an apology, something Trump’s legal team had previously demanded. However, the network did agree to update its editorial standards by mandating the release of full, unedited transcripts of interviews with future presidential candidates.
’60 MINUTES’ KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT CENTER OF TRUMP LAWSUIT RUNS AFOUL OF CRONKITE-ERA CBS GUIDELINES
The settlement was addressed internally by CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski on Wednesday’s 9 a.m. editorial call. He began the meeting by thanking staffers for “blocking out the noise” over the past several months and continuing forward with their work, the journalist familiar with the call told Fox News Digital.
During the call, Cibrowski openly discussed how CBS would cover the settlement with “CBS Evening News” executive producer Guy Campanile, who the staffer said was “clearly annoyed” by the Trump payout.
“I would say almost everyone is upset because it impacts the brand as a whole,” the CBS journalist said.
“CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson, who previously saluted ousted “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News president Wendy McMahon, used Paramount’s own words against itself while addressing the settlement on Wednesday.
“In the end, Paramount decided to settle the suit it said is without basis in law and fact, and an affront to the First Amendment,” a stern Dickerson told viewers before ending the newscast, citing Paramount’s motion to dismiss Trump’s lawsuit in March.
However, Dickerson reserved far more pointed commentary for his CBS online streaming program “CBS Evening News Plus” in a lengthy monologue focused on the mission for journalists to get the facts right.
“The obstacles to getting it right are many, but the Paramount settlement poses a new obstacle. Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you traded away that trust? The audience will decide that,” Dickerson said.
TOP ’60 MINUTES’ PRODUCER RESIGNS FROM SHOW, CITES LACK OF INDEPENDENCE
CBS SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP SLAMMED BY JOURNALISTS, COMMENTATORS AS ‘APPALLING’ SURRENDER
CBS News’ senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang took a subtle swipe against her network by sharing a post by Bloomberg correspondent David Gura, who invoked CBS broadcasting legend Walter Cronkite’s quote, “Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.”
Andrew Heyward, who previously served as CBS News president from 1996-2005, denounced the settlement, telling NPR, “The decision to settle a case with no legal merit obviously comes squarely from the corporate suite, not from anybody at CBS News. To me, the critical issue is whether ’60 Minutes’ can hold onto its tradition of fierce editorial integrity under new management.”
“I spent seven years as the Chief Investigative Correspondent for CBS News and eight as a contributing correspondent to 60,” former CBS journalist Armen Keteyian wrote on X. “This Paramount settlement is the nadir for the network – a breach of the public trust Murrow, Cronkite, Hewitt and thousands of us worked decades to build.”
Representatives for Paramount and CBS News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
At the center of Trump’s legal battle with Paramount was an exchange Harris had with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker, who asked her why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t “listening” to the Biden administration. Harris was widely mocked for the “word salad” answer that aired in a preview clip of the interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
However, when the same question aired during a primetime special on the network, Harris had a different, more concise response. Critics at the time accused CBS News of deceitfully editing Harris’ “word salad” answer to shield the Democratic nominee from further backlash leading up to Election Day.
CBS BLASTS TRUMP’S LAWSUIT AS ‘MERITLESS’ DESPITE RECENT $15 MILLION SETTLEMENT OFFER
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The raw transcript and footage released earlier this year by the FCC showed that both sets of Harris’ comments came from the same response, but CBS News had aired only the first half of her response in the “Face the Nation” preview clip and aired the second half during the primetime special. CBS News previously refused to release the raw transcript when the controversy first erupted in October.
“With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit. CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle. President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American People as he continues on his singular mission to Make America Great Again,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told Fox News Digital.
GOP congressman’s intern caught in deadly ambush as police hunt for suspects
A Congressional intern was shot and killed in Washington, D.C. on Monday night.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, died after he was shot around 10:28 p.m. on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest in Washington, D.C. on Monday night, according to police, and died on Tuesday. An adult female and a 16-year-old male were also shot and taken to local hospitals.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, multiple individuals exited a car and began firing at a group of people. Tarpinian-Jachym isn’t believed to have been the intended target of the shooting, officials said.
SENATORS CONDEMN FATAL SHOOTING OF ISRAELI EMBASSY EMPLOYEES AS FAMILIES MOURN
Tarpinian-Jachym was an intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.), according to a statement from his office. He was a rising senior majoring in finance with a minor in political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
HOUSE STAFFER VICTIM OF ARMED CARJACKING IN POPULAR WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD
“I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” Estes said. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country. Please join Susan and me in praying for his family and respecting their privacy during this heartbreaking time.”
Phillip Peterson, one of Tarpinian-Jachym’s friends, told Fox News Digital that he “was a very easy-going person to be around.”
“We met in early January and we really started to hit things off,” Peterson said. “After the program we discussed becoming roommates, but I didn’t want to move back to D.C. because I despise the culture so much. Unfortunately that fell through. I legitimately do regret now not going back to D.C. just so I could have spent more time with my friend.”
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Tarpinian-Jachym also participated in a spring fellowship with The Fund for American Studies, which said the college student’s hometown is Aberdeen, Mississippi.
The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction, and are encouraged to contact (202) 727-9099.
Read Bryan Kohberger’s plea agreement in fatal stabbing of University of Idaho students
BOISE, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.
On Wednesday at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Judge Steven Hippler approved a plea agreement that spares Kohberger, 30, from the death penalty. In exchange, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
As part of the agreement, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He did so with both of his parents in the gallery, with his father wincing as Judge Steven Hippler formally accepted Kohberger’s agreement.
Sentencing has been set for July 23.
IDAHO MURDERS TIMELINE: BRYAN KOHBERGER PLEA CAPS YEARSLONG QUEST FOR JUSTICE
The case has drawn national attention since the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four students — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves — were found stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho.
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Kohberger, a former Ph.D. criminology student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 after a cross-country investigation.
IDAHO VICTIM’S FAMILY DEMANDS KOHBERGER CONFESS IN COURT AFTER PLEA DEAL DECISION: ‘FULL ACCOUNTABILITY’
WATCH: Attorney for Madison Mogen’s family speaks to reporters following Bryan Kohberger’s guilty plea
Immediately following the hearing, the Mogen family issued a heartfelt statement through their attorney, Leander James, on the steps of the courthouse.
“We now embark on a new path,” James said on behalf of the family. “We turn from tragedy and mourning. We turn from darkness and uncertainty of the legal process to the light of the future. We have closure. We embark on a path of hope and healing. We invite all of those who have mourned with us to join us, and we wish you well.”
The sentiment drew a stark contrast compared to remarks made by Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, as he arrived at the courthouse but chose not to attend the hearing.
“He’s going to own this,” Steve Goncalves said of Judge Steven Hippler. “He’s gonna inherit what [Bill] Thompson did. And he’s the only one that can fix it. He’s the one who can make it right. He needs to protect those other surviving victims and make this person say that they had nothing to do with it. He did it solely, he did it all on his own. And nobody else was responsible.”
When asked by reporters if he felt justice was served, the grieving father went on to slam the agreement that will have Kohberger serve four life sentences, saying, “No, of course not. It’s daycare.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY PLEAD GUILTY: WHAT’S NEXT
According to court documents, DNA from a knife sheath left at the crime scene matched Kohberger’s, and cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house multiple times before the killings. Surveillance footage also captured a white Hyundai Elantra in the area.
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A grand jury indicted Kohberger in May 2023, and a judge initially entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. Prosecutors later announced their intent to seek the death penalty, citing the heinous nature of the crimes.
President Trump calls for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to immediately resign: ‘Too late’
In the latest escalation in the feud between President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the president appeared to call for Powell to resign after the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) alleged Powell gave “deceptive” testimony to Congress.
Trump has expressed frustration with Powell for months for refusing to lower the Fed’s interest rates, which he has said was costing the U.S. a “fortune.”
On Monday, Trump sent a note to Powell highlighting how other countries around the world have lower interest rates compared to the U.S., and he continued accusing Powell of keeping rates “artificially high.”
“‘Jerome, you are, as usual, too late. You have cost the USA a fortune and continue to do so,'” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday, reading Trump’s note to Powell. “‘You should lower the rate by a lot. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being lost and there is no inflation.'”
TRUMP SENDS ‘MR. TOO LATE’ JEROME POWELL FIERY NOTE SPELLING OUT INTEREST RATE FAILURES COSTING US A ‘FORTUNE’
On Wednesday, Trump reposted a Bloomberg article on the FHFA head’s call for an investigation into Powell to his Truth Social account.
Trump wrote, “‘Too Late’ should resign immediately!!!”
Earlier Wednesday, FHFA Director Bill Pulte posted a statement on X, calling for Congress to investigate Powell’s alleged deceptive testimony, which he said was sufficient grounds for removal.
“I am asking Congress to investigate Chairman Jerome Powell, his political bias, and his deceptive Senate testimony, which is enough to be removed ‘for cause,’” Pulte wrote.
DOLLAR SLIDES TO 3-YEAR LOW ON REPORT TRUMP PLANS TO NAME NEXT FED CHAIR EARLY
In testimony to the Senate Banking Committee last week, Powell dismissed concerns about irresponsible expenses renovating the Fed headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Pulte quoted Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who he said claimed Powell “made a number of factually inaccurate statements to the [Senate] Committee regarding the Fed’s plush private dining room and elevator, skylights, water features and roof terrace.”
“Jerome Powell’s $2.5B Building Renovation Scandal stinks to high heaven, and he lied when asked about the specifics before Congress. This is nothing short of malfeasance and is worthy of ‘for cause,’” Pulte wrote. “Chairman Powell needs to be investigated by Congress immediately.”
TRUMP SLAMS FED CHAIR POWELL FOR NOT CUTTING RATES: ‘AVERAGE MENTALLY PERSON’
Speaking with Bloomberg on Wednesday, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, responded to Pulte’s call for an investigation of Powell, saying, “We haven’t discussed that specifically,” but “everything is on the table.
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“We’ll take a look at that. Part of our constitutional duty is to do oversight of the executive branch, and, in our committee, we do oversight of the judicial branch as well.”
A representative for the Fed declined to comment.