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CBS In Chaos? ‘60 Minutes’ Producer Resigns Amid Trump Legal Battle

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Bill Owens, the executive producer of CBS’ “60 Minutes,” announced his resignation on Tuesday, claiming a loss of editorial independence. The decision comes in the wake of a $20 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against CBS, alleging deceptive editing in a 2024 interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

As Mediaite reports:

Owens said Tuesday in a memo to staffers obtained by Mediaite that he decided to step aside because “over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it, to make independent decisions based on what was right for ‘60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.”

Owens is the third producer to run 60 Minutes in its more than 50 years on the air.

“So, having defended this show — and what we stand for — from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward,” Owens wrote.

Owens made clear the show will continue without him. “The show is too important to the country. It has to continue, just not with me as the executive producer,” he wrote.

The Lawsuit’s Allegations

President Trump’s lawsuit, initiated in December 2024, accuses CBS of violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the federal Lanham Act. The core of the complaint is that “60 Minutes” edited Harris’ interview to portray her more favorably, potentially influencing public opinion during the presidential election. Specifically, the lawsuit points to discrepancies in Harris’s responses about the Israel-Gaza conflict, suggesting that the edits were made to enhance her image and disadvantage Trump’s campaign.​

Resignation Amid Corporate Considerations

CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is reportedly considering settling the lawsuit to facilitate an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, which requires FCC approval. This move has sparked internal conflict, with Owens and other CBS journalists opposing a settlement, viewing it as a compromise of journalistic integrity.

CBS’ Response and Transparency Efforts

In response to Trump’s allegations, CBS released the full, unedited transcript of the Harris interview in February, asserting that the editing was standard journalistic practice aimed at clarity and brevity, not deception. The network maintains that its editorial decisions are protected under the First Amendment.

The ongoing situation underscores the tensions between media organizations and political figures, raising questions about journalistic independence, corporate influence and the role of the press in democratic societies. As CBS navigates legal challenges and corporate decisions, the resignation of a key figure like Owens highlights the complexities at the intersection of media, politics and business.​

READ NEXT: Ex-Fox News Star Jumps Into High-Stakes Governor’s Race [WATCH]

Arizona Republican Launches Campaign For Governor

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By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Karrin Taylor Robson, CC BY-SA 2.0,

On Wednesday, Arizona Republican Karrin Taylor Robson launched her comeback gubernatorial bid.

Robson, a small business owner and lawyer, launched her campaign with a new ad centered on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and her desire to help take back her state from incumbent Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs. 

Robson lost her primary bid in 2022 to Trump-backed Republican nominee Kari Lake.

Robson scored early support from Trump less than two months ago during his visit to Arizona as president-elect.

“I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,” Robson said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state. Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs. And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe,” she continued.

“Katie Hobbs and Joe Biden’s insane agenda has made life more expensive and dangerous,” Robson stated. “I will fight every day alongside President Trump for stronger borders, a stronger economy, and a stronger Arizona.

President Trump said Robson would have his support if she ran for governor while he was delivering remarks at Turning Point Action’s AmericaFest in December.

“Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin, ’cause if you do you’re gonna have my support, OK?” Trump said at the time.

Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as a “toss-up,” likely making it one of the most competitive races in the upcoming midterms.

The “Building A Better Arizona PAC” launched last month backing Robson, who formerly served on the Arizona Board of Regents. Former Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham and former Arizona Senate President Karen Fann created the group.

The primary is Aug. 4, 2026. It’s unclear if Hobbs will face a major challenger in the Democratic primary.

Robson will likely face off against another pro-Trump Republican during the primaries. Supporters of Rep. Andy Biggs hope that the president will shift gears and back his campaign instead, given his strong political agreements with him.

The congressman has already gained the endorsements of Reps. Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, and Eli Crane.

“Andy Biggs is the greatest thing since sliced bread,” Sen. Mike Lee( R-Utah) said on X. “Arizonans, do yourselves a big favor and elect this man as your next governor!” 

Gavin Newsom Attacks ‘Ruthless’ Fox News Hosts

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Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), CC BY 2.5 AR via Wikimedia Commons

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is attacking Fox News prime-time hosts for their “ruthless” approach to media.

The Democrat governor, who has been floated as a possible 2024 contender, remarked over the weekend that Democrats are getting “crushed” by Fox News hosts. Newsom cited his Father-in-law as an example of someone for whom he has great respect, but at the same time, is often confused about his conservative narratives, which he blamed Fox News prime-time hosts for. 

According to Mediaite, a portion of Newsom’s remarks aired Monday morning on CNN’s New Day for discussion.

“These guys are ruthless on the other side. Ruthless on the other side,” Newsom reiterated. “That prime time line up by Fox, they are ruthless. They dominate the most important thing in American politics today, and that’s the narrative. Facts become secondary to narrative. They dominate with illusion. We are getting crushed.”

Panelists Margaret Hoover and John Avlon didn’t refute Newsom’s allegation that hosts for the top-rated cable news program are consistently lying.

Coming out of the clip, Erica Hill noted, “when it comes to messaging in terms of getting crushed, this is something that has been an Achilles heel for Democrats in terms of having a united message across the party.” This may be a shock to any conservative viewer who watched years of Russian interference narratives that, for reasons good and bad, never amounted to anything other than breathless media analysis.

Hoover also noted a media narrative favorable to Democrats seemed a pretty well-oiled machine during past Democrat-led administrations.

“I don’t think necessarily Democrats suffer from lack of a narrative,” Hoover continued. “They own the presidency right now and have control of the Senate. I worry about what he’s pointing to,” which she summarized as getting away from the Michelle Obama rhetorical ethos of “when they go low, we go high.” She ultimately landed on the real issue as she saw it, which was the impact Donald Trump has on political discourse.

“[Newsom] is right in saying Democrats want a fighter right now. He has a good point about the unified narrative of Republicans that tends to put Democrats on defense because they are saying ‘Gosh, look at all those lies.”

Trump Challenges Biden To Pre-Debate Drug Test

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Trump is throwing down the gauntlet…

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump challenged Joe Biden to take a drug test before this week’s televised presidential debate.

“DRUG TEST FOR CROOKED JOE BIDEN??? I WOULD, ALSO, IMMEDIATELY AGREE TO ONE!!!” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.

The former president has repeatedly suggested Biden could take a performance-enhancing drug before the debate, with some already discounting any well-received performance by the incumbent as a charade.

In two other posts on Truth Social, Trump praised Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who sent a letter to the president and his physician Monday, demanding he take drug tests immediately before and after the debate.

“Ronny Jackson was a brilliant Doctor, Admiral and now, a GREAT Congressman,” the presumptive GOP nominee wrote in one post. “He happens to be totally right about what is written in this MUST READ Article but, unfortunately, nothing will be done about it!”

Trump and Biden will square off Thursday night in a debate hosted by CNN, in what will be the first debate since the 2020 election. 

Trump last week said he does not want to underestimate Biden ahead of the debate.

“Well, all I can say is this: I watched him with Paul Ryan, and he destroyed Paul Ryan,” Trump said during an episode of the “All-In podcast” last week. “And he beat Paul Ryan, so, I’m not underestimating him.”

Trump Snubs DeSantis in Latest Campaign Stop Announcement

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Donald Trump is giving Florida Governor Ron DeSantis the silent treatment.

In what appears to be the latest rift between the two Republicans, Trump announced he plans to campaign for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio two days before Election Day, notably leaving out the Governor from the event.

Trump’s plan to hold a Nov. 6 rally in Miami shocked sources close to DeSantis who say the governor wasn’t notified of the event prior to the former president’s Wednesday announcement, according to Politico.

The timing of the Trump and Rubio event means any campaign event DeSantis holds that day won’t receive as much attention during the all-important final stretch of the 2022 midterms.

“You’ve got the Sunday before Election Day totally hijacked by Trump parachuting in on Trump Force One taking up the whole day,” said a longtime Republican consultant who is close to the governor. “No Republican could go to a DeSantis event that day. None. And DeSantis won’t be here? This is big.”

Another person who is influential in DeSantis’ world said it was “an elbow to Ron’s throat” and blamed Trump advisers.

However, an adviser close to Trump said that the event isn’t meant to take attention away from the Florida governor and is just part of a series of campaign stops scheduled for the former president.

“This is an event President Trump is holding as part of a series of stops he is making for Republican Senate candidates,” the Trump adviser said. “It came after he and Senator Rubio spoke directly.”

Trump and DeSantis have been at odds over potentially going toe to toe in 2024 for the Republican nomination. Trump has strongly hinted at launching a presidential campaign but early polls have shown an increase in Republicans preferring DeSantis as a potential nominee, posing a major threat to Trump.

Earlier this week, DeSantis split with Trump when he opted to endorse Colorado Senate candidate Joe O’Dea who the president previously referred to as a “stupid person with a big mouth.” Trump said DeSantis’ endorsement was a “BIG MISTAKE” is a message to his TRUTH Social.

READ NEXT: Trump Snaps Over DeSantis’ Endorsement of Colorado Senate Candidate >>

Poll: Third-Party Candidate Leading In 6 Battleground States

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

This is unexpected…

The poll from The New York Times and Siena College shows Robert F. Kennedy Jr. beating both Trump and Biden among voters under 45 in six swing states.

Mediaite reports:

The polling shows that in an average of data gathered from Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, Kennedy has 34 percent support base with voters aged between 18-29, and he also has 31 percent with 30-44 year old voters. Trump’s numbers stand at 29 percent with 18-29 year olds, and 30 percent with 30-44 year olds. Biden stands at 30 percent in both categories.

And in some states, Kennedy is winning younger voters by enormous margins. In Arizona,  Kennedy has 39 percent of the 18-29-year-old vote to Trump’s 26 — and in Georgia, Kennedy leads Trump 35 to 28 in the same demographic. Biden still has some sway with younger voters in several states — pulling in 37 percent of the 18-29 year old vote in both Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Kennedy originally entered the 2024 contest as a Democratic primary challenger to Biden, but it was about a month ago when he dropped that bid and reinvented his campaign as a third party independent run. Much of the media focus on Kennedy’s run has focused on his numerous bizarre and misinformation statements, though recent polls have shown that his independent bid could be cutting into Trump’s base more than Biden’s.

Heckler Tased at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall as Audience Cheers

Arrest image via Pixabay

Things are heating up…

A heckler at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) town hall on Tuesday was tased by police as supporters of the congresswoman cheered.

At least three people were removed from the town hall after interrupting the event, including a man who had to be tased by police after he became violent.

Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

In footage of the incident, posted by several reporters, multiple police officers could be seen struggling to restrain the man while escorting him out of the venue.

Watch:

After the man became violent and lashed out against the officers, shouting, “Get the fuck off me!” two officers could be seen deploying their tasers against him as Greene’s audience cheered and applauded.

“Don’t move! Stop!” an officer could be heard shouting at the man as he continued to resist arrest.

Greene then declared, “This is a peaceful town hall. Now, this is a peaceful town hall, ladies and gentlemen. This should not have to happen. This is a town hall.”

“Like I said before, this isn’t a political rally or a protest. I held a town hall tonight. You know who was out of line? The protesters,” Greene told reporters after the event. “There was a place designated outside for the protesters because we support their First Amendment right. So you know who was out of line? The protesters. The police did a great job, I am very thankful.”

Two other protesters were also removed from the town hall by police, including a man who could be seen resisting officers and asking, “Are you really doing this?” After the man continued to resist, officers could be seen pushing the man to the floor and handcuffing him.

Early on, a young woman went off on Greene as the congresswoman spoke about immigration. In particular, Greene said that “illegal alien criminals, cartels, and terrorists” are living at the U.S. southern border with Mexico and are “all inside the interior of the United States.”

Immediately after delivering the line, the protestor stood up and said “How about the KKK?”

“All inside the interior of the United States,” Greene repeated, as an officer approached the woman in the audience.

“The protest is outside,” Greene said. “Thank you very much. Protest is outside.”

“You butch-bodied bigot!” the woman yelled as she was being escorted out. Many in the crowd stood and applauded after the woman left the room.

Former Democrat Rep. Endorses Trump

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

He’s just telling it like it is…

Former Democratic Rep. Peter Deutsch of Florida publicly endorsed former President Donald Trump on Monday, specifically calling out the Biden administration’s weak stance on global conflicts.

Deutsch, who served Florida’s 20th Congressional District for six terms from 1993-2005,  endorsed Trump during a campaign call commemorating the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel, according to The Hill. 

“I feel very comfortable today publicly announcing that I’m endorsing Donald Trump to be reelected as president,” Deutsch said, The Hill reported. “Driving force for me to make this decision is what I believe is the most important factor in being president, which is really world peace.”

“And I think that Kamala Harris and the Harris-Biden administration in terms of what they have done and are doing … make the world a dramatically less safe place,” Deutsch added.

On Monday, Trump participated in an October 7th remembrance event and released a statement:

“Today, President Trump will commemorate the one-year anniversary of October 7th with a visit to Ohel Chabad Lubavitch, the final resting place of Rabbi Schneerson in New York, and he will give remarks at an October 7th Remembrance Event in Florida. The atrocities, including the slaughtering and capturing of innocent Israelis and Americans, that took place on October 7th would have never happened if President Trump were still in the White House. For Americans and Israelis alike, it’s imperative that President Trump is re-elected so he can end the bloodshed caused by an emboldened Iranian terrorist regime, which is stronger and richer today from the Harris-Biden Administration’s incompetence and weak policies.” – Karoline Leavitt, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary


Trump Wins Pennsylvania!

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The most closely-watched state of the 2024 election cycle…

Former President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the critical battleground state.

Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes four years after Democrat Joe Biden carried the state, flipping it from Trump’s column in 2016 on his way to capturing the “blue wall.” No Democrat has won the White House without also winning Pennsylvania since 1948.

The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 2:24 a.m. EST.

The Keystone State experienced its fair share of issues on Election Day.

A Pennsylvania judge approved a petition to extend voting hours until 10 p.m. ET after a “malfunction” prevented voters in Cambria County from scanning their ballots.

“The Cambria County Board of Election learned early [Tuesday] morning that a software malfunction in the County’s Electronic Voting System has prevented voters from scanning their ballots,” County Solicitor Ron Repak said in a statement. “This should not discourage voters from voting at their precincts.”

“All completed ballots will be accepted, secured, and counted by the Board of Elections. The County Board of Elections has express voting machine [sic] at precinct locations to continue to allow voting electronically, while still allowing hand ballots to be cast,” said Repak.

Prior to the court granting the extension, Whatley had assured voters that the Republican Party’s lawyers were “all over” the issue.

“We understand that there are some line delays on the ground,” Whatley wrote on X. “We need you to stay in line. We need you to fill out your ballot in full and deliver it. Our Pennsylvania lawyers are all over this issue and will ensure fairness and accuracy in the process.”

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Retired Conservative Judge Says American Democracy ‘In Peril’ Due to Trump

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

Retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig says that America’s democracy is at risk due to the current state of the Republican Party.

Luttig, a conservative-leaning former judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals, joined CNN This Morning on Wednesday to discuss the “decay” of the Republican Party under Donald Trump’s leadership.

“What do you think has happened to your party?” Harlow asked Luttig.

His answer:

Frankly, I don’t care about the Republican Party at all, except to the extent that the two political parties in America are the political guardians of democracy in our country. American democracy simply cannot function without two equally healthy and equally strong political parties. So, today, in my view, there is no Republican Party to counter the Democratic Party in the country. And for that reason, American democracy is in grave peril.

“There is no Republican Party?” Harlow asked him. Luttig explained by outlining his view that “a political party is a collection, an assemblage of individuals who share a set of beliefs and principles and policy views about the United States of America.”

“Today there is no such shared set of beliefs and values and principles, or even policy views, within the Republican Party for America,” Luttig determined. “Until or unless the Republican Party can pull itself together into a credible Republican political party, we simply don’t have two competing parties in America.”