The Writers Guild of America has urged New York state officials to investigate Paramount following the sudden cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, citing potential wrongdoing linked to political pressure.
In a joint statement on Friday, the Writers Guild of America East and West asked New York Attorney General Letitia James to probe Paramount's decision, pointing to the company's recent $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a lawsuit against CBS News. The unions argued the cancellation may be a 'bribe' to curry favor with the Trump administration as Paramount seeks merger approval.
The WGA noted that 'cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society.' They called on James, who has previously prosecuted Trump for illegal business practices, to hold those responsible to account.
Colbert, a vocal Trump critic, had condemned the settlement on air as a 'big fat bribe.' His show was cancelled three days later. CBS executives said the decision was purely financial and unrelated to content or other matters.
Lawmakers including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have expressed skepticism, with Warren calling the settlement 'bribery' and Sanders saying he does not believe the timing is a coincidence. James's office said it is monitoring the situation.
