Lawyers for CBS news program “60 Minutes” rejected Donald Trump’s legal team’s insistence for the network to release a full transcript of reporter Bill Whitaker’s Oct. 7 interview with Vice President Kamala Harris because there’s no “legal basis” for their demand.
The controversy began when CBS viewers watching the Sunday morning show “Face the Nation” saw a clip of Harris answering a question about Israeli affairs in the Middle East that was different from the reply showed on “60 Minutes” the following night.
CBS explained that matter by claiming “60 Minutes gave an excerpt of our interview to Face the Nation that used a longer section of her answer than that on 60 Minutes.”
According to “60 Minutes,” it trimmed its conversation with Harris to fit into a “wide ranging 21-minute-long segment” that accurately represented the things she said.
But Trump’s team fired off a letter earlier this week demanding to see an unedited transcript, alleging the network’s interview was “doctored in order to mislead the American people ahead of the Presidential Election.”
According to CNN, a letter from CBS to Trump’s lawyers sent Wednesday countered there’s no “legal basis for your demand” and notes the Republican candidate’s counsel doesn’t provide any such argument.
“Editing is a necessity for all broadcasters to enable them to present the news in the time available, and that is what ’60 Minutes’ did here, as it does with its other reports,” CBS’ lawyer reportedly added.
CBS lawyers reportedly cited the First Amendment as their protection from legal repercussions in the matter.
According to CNN, CBS believes acquiescing to the demands of powerful figures would set a dangerous precedent for the 56-year-old news magazine.
It’s a long-running tradition for presidential candidates to appear on “60 Minutes” in the days before an election. Trump was invited to be on the program and declined. He has complained about the program at recent rallies where he claimed to be the victim of a “giant fake news scam” involving Harris and CBS.
CBS News didn’t respond to a Daily News request for comment.
