MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell has torn into CBS for the network’s alleged refusal to air an interview with a rising young Democrat.
The uproar began after Stephen Colbert revealed to his studio audience that the MAGA-curious network had decided to pull Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s interview on The Late Show, though it had already been taped. Colbert told his audience that he wasn’t allowed to feature the Texas state representative, 36, on the air for fear of upsetting Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr.
The network claimed almost 24 hours later that it didn’t censor Colbert’s interview but “provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule.”
The interview was later posted on YouTube and the show’s social channels.
On Tuesday night, MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell used the opening segment of The Last Word to blast CBS’ legal brass.
“Remember this about the CBS lawyers: They are the weakest, most cowardly corporate lawyers in America,” O’Donnell said. “The CBS lawyers who are now trying to tell Stephen Colbert who can be a guest on his show work for a parent company that agreed to pay President Donald Trump $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit by Donald Trump against 60 Minutes, which Donald Trump had no chance of winning. Absolutely zero chance of winning.”
“But those cowardly corporate lawyers agreed to pay Donald Trump $16 million in what Stephen Colbert correctly called, ‘A big, fat bribe,’” he continued. “Those lawyers should be witnesses in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump in the United States Senate right now, for that bribe. That is their filthy spot that they now occupy in American political and corporate legal history.”
CBS, which has been in turmoil since Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of the right-leaning news and opinion blog The Free Press, took over the broadcaster’s top editorial role after being appointed by Trump ally David Ellison, disputed the characterization that the interview had been barred outright.
“THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled,” the network said in a statement.
O’Donnell pointed out that the equal-time rule does not apply to entertainment television, such as Colbert’s show.
Carr has previously said commentators like Jimmy Kimmel and Colbert, whose final episode will air in May after the network canceled his show, use their talk shows for “purely partisan political purposes.”
Colbert responded directly, saying, “I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself,” and suggesting the stance may stem from Trump’s sensitivities.
The Daily Beast has reached out to CBS for comment.
