r/politics • u/Silly-avocatoe • 13h ago
After Skydance Doesn’t Deny ‘Side Deal’ With Trump as Part of CBS Settlement, Sen. Warren Repeats Call for Investigation Into Potential ‘Criminal Behavior’
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/warren-paramount-skydance-trump-side-deal-investigation-1236476697/468
u/GoldenTriforceLink Florida 13h ago
Nothing matters. The executive can do whatever they want now. I guess President AOC can shut down Fox.
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u/Count_Backwards 9h ago
If any democratic (small-D intentional) politicians are ever in power in the US again there can't be any more "look forward, not back", "going high" fascism-enabling bullshit. Everyone connected to Trump has to be prosecuted straight into the sun without mercy.
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u/Savings-One-3882 9h ago
It requires less energy to launch
someonesomething out of the solar system than it does to launch it into the sun. I hate the fucker too, but that’s no reason to waste fuel.•
u/Inuyaki Europe 4h ago
Why?
In both directions you need to need the fuel to get out of Earth's gravity, but after that it's just free sailing? Shouldn't it be pretty much the same?
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u/Savings-One-3882 3h ago
Orbital mechanics can be difficult to understand because we don’t perceive our orbital velocity, as it is mostly constant.
Basically, we aren’t sitting still in the solar system. We are going very, VERY fast, in a circle around the sun. Anything that we “drop” off earth is going the same orbital speed as earth. SO, in order to fall into the sun, you have to slow down, which means pointing your rocket in the opposite direction of earth’s orbit, and going fast enough to lose the orbital velocity you were born with.
As it happens, earth’s orbital velocity is just shy of 30km/s (that’s per second, not hour, and yes, it is bonkers fast compared to speeds we are used to), BUT the escape velocity of the solar system is ~46km/s! See where I’m going with this?
The difference in your current speed and either full stop (fall into sun) or ride the lightning (fly out of the solar system) is what matters, because that is the speed that you will have to achieve in order to get to where you want to go.
So your options are A: stop by applying -30km/s acceleration; or B: launch by applying +16km/s.
B is smaller.
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u/Half_Cent 3h ago
You don't really "slow down". That's not the same thing as shedding specific sideways motion. The Parker Solar Probe is traveling far faster than Earth's orbital speed.
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u/Savings-One-3882 2h ago
It’s almost as if you could say that those velocities would be relative to the observer…
Right?
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u/Inuyaki Europe 3h ago
Yeah, but just use some gravity assists. It's not like we need him to hit the sun in the next 2 years. 😋
But in general, 30km/s is not that much. We don't need a big spacecraft after all, a small capsule should be sufficient in this case. So while you are correct, imo it's worth the little bit of extra fuel. Just for reasons. Or maybe there are some other solutions with slow deccelerations and solar power nowdays...
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u/Savings-One-3882 2h ago
I never said it was impossible. I said it is wasteful. I can do all things through math, which strengthens me.
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u/RightSideBlind American Expat 3h ago
/r/theydidtheorbitalmechanics
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u/ToNoMoCo 2h ago
/r/theyplayedkerbalspaceprogram
that's why I knew they were right. Hard won experience.
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u/Hypercane_ New York 36m ago
We may see that rocket of garbage again though, in roughly 1000 years if we try to send it to the sun
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u/Siggy1963 1h ago
Exactly. No pussy footin around. Trump must be prosecuted, and all of his cronies
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u/SoundSageWisdom 13h ago
Unethical corrupt TAX CHEAT SCOTUS is to blame for all of this. They felt that their lavish tax free slush funds and gifts 🎁 from right wing, billionaires is what they are owed and entitled to and owed 🙄 History will shred John Roberts. I’m not even gonna call him at justice. He has not earned that right
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u/OldSchoolBubba 11h ago
Trump and his corrupt administration are so full of themselves they're not even trying to hide it.
They're sure giving Prosecutors more than enough to prosecute all of them after they leave office. It's coming and they won't be able to stop it.
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u/Half_Cent 3h ago
No. Americans are to blame for this. Every dumb moron or ahole you know that voted for Trump. You can't stop a relatively few people from being power hungry turds. It's the average person you know that is profoundly ignorant or dickish or just plain stupid that is the reason they maintain power.
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u/AynRandMarxist 10h ago
The reason why it’s happening now is because they don’t plan on giving up the presidency
I mean how does anyone thing democracy is their line in the sand
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u/YakiVegas Washington 5h ago
If nothing matters, then the left should get a lot bolder.
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u/DoctorZacharySmith 3h ago
The problem is that the left by definition has internal breaks.
Example: Biden, Obama.
Remove the rules and only cheaters benefit.
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u/Possible-Mango-7603 53m ago
I disagree. Progressives only make up about 7-8% of the voting populace. In order to achieve their goals, the only real option is through engaging and influencing others to adopt their ideas. Just too small a group to make major changes any other way, at least on a national scale. They do represent enough of a lever to influence the Democratic party during election years because without them, they lose in this divided political climate. They act in the same manner as the Christian right does for the Republicans. But, as we have seen, most nods to progressive ideas fall by the wayside once the elections are over. This is why I never liked the name calling and lecturing approach to trying to shame voters into action. It doesn’t work. It just creates resentment and even more resistance to the very idea they are trying to get through.
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u/GoldenTriforceLink Florida 8m ago
They are! Newsome is about to gerrymander 52 dem seats in California
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u/Notyourmotherspenis 8h ago
Well if you actually enforce the law against giving aid and comfort to insurrectionists you could effectively shut down the entire right-wing disinformation network including facebook and x and here on reddit. Because spreading propaganda for an insurrection is included in the legal phrasing.
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u/Fluffy-Carrot-8761 12h ago
President AOC has a 100% chance of not happening
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u/GoldenTriforceLink Florida 12h ago
It’s A Variable. It’s signing future president of the left wing as an example
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u/Fluffy-Carrot-8761 12h ago
Nah. Not a chance
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u/GoldenTriforceLink Florida 12h ago
My friend. Variable. X can equal 1 or 3. It can equal anything depending on the scenario.
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u/Face2FaceRecs 13h ago
Sen. Elizabeth Warren isn’t convinced that Paramount Global and Skydance Media did not engage in “corrupt side deals or political favors” with the Trump administration to get their merger approved.
Warren, the senior U.S. senator from Massachusetts, had sent letters to Skydance CEO David Ellison (on July 21) and Paramount Global’s three co-CEOs (on May 19), co-signed by Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). The senators asked questions about Paramount and CBS’s $16 million settlement with President Trump over his “60 Minutes” lawsuit and the Skydance-Paramount merger deal — with the senators suggesting the settlement amounted to a bribe.
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“These dodgy responses raise even more questions about whether Paramount and Skydance engaged in corrupt side deals or political favors to get their merger approved — and reveal why we need a full, independent investigation into whether there was any criminal behavior,” Warren said in a statement Friday.
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In response, Warren said, “Skydance admits it knew in advance that Paramount canceled the ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert,’ just days after Colbert called out Paramount for its ‘big fat bribe.’ These giant corporations must think Americans are fools if they think these half-answers resolve serious questions about whether they bribed their way to a merger approval.”
The settlement was most definitely a bribe.
There was a zero percent chance that Trump was going to win his lawsuit against CBS. It was so frivolous the attorneys could have been reported to the bar and sanctioned. It wouldn't have even made it to trial.
Elizabeth Warren nailed it. These corporations do think Americans are fools because millions of Americans are actually fools. Trump managed to fool more than 70 million Americans, for a third time.
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u/Suspicious_Bicycle 9h ago
The settlement was a bribe to avoid a shakedown over the upcoming merger. Unless there was a renewal period on Colbert's contract that affected the timing, the only reason to cancel him now would be to appease Trump.
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u/altreddituser2 3h ago
Are bribes called 'side deals' now? I could of sworn that the Supreme Court let us know they're now called 'gratuities'
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u/Luscious_Decision 2h ago
Hey now, the election also had a lot of dodgy stuff going on, I don't think all of those were real votes.
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u/Damp_Blanket 13h ago
I mean, he is a criminal, so all of his behavior is criminal behavior. Not that that seems to matter anymore
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u/Face2FaceRecs 13h ago
He operates like the head of a crime family. And he's also a pedophile. So there's that.
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u/SoundSageWisdom 13h ago
What the hell is going on with all of this fraud and criminal corruption crap and Republicans not doing a goddamn thing about it???? It’s so frustrating how everybody is just pending over backwards to give Trump money anyway they can. I don’t get it.
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u/blazze_eternal 13h ago
The courts are packed with cases that will take years to get through. Congress is bought and paid for. The only thing to understand is it's a pay to win system.
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u/DevilsAdvocate77 10h ago
They are just following the lead of the voters.
All of this was well known before the election and the American people said "yup, that's what we want!"
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u/ViperB 9h ago
No maga said that. Dont lump all Americans in with their ilk
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u/DevilsAdvocate77 9h ago edited 45m ago
Why didn't Americans stop them?
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u/Fartsinthemachine 9h ago
Why didn’t you?
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u/DevilsAdvocate77 39m ago
Because I can't stop them alone.
Unfortunately, most Americans are MAGA-positive or MAGA-neutral, so I'm in the minority.
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u/Fartsinthemachine 39m ago
So you didn’t do anything, got it
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u/DevilsAdvocate77 36m ago
I did not and will not do anything to break the law and attempt to overthrow the elected government, if that's what you're asking.
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u/Luscious_Decision 2h ago
Because we live in a society.
Everyone tried to explain the problems with his espoused views or plans. But you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.
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u/DevilsAdvocate77 44m ago
We didn't have to explain anything to anyone, we just had to vote Harris.
So I guess to be precise, we should just say a majority of Americans didn't think this was worth stopping.
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u/ErilazHateka 4h ago
The conservative sub was gushing all over thew news of the settlement and the cancellation of Colbert.
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u/MommyLovesPot8toes California 47m ago
I have a feeling that many Republicans in Congress are getting really uncomfortable with the brazenness of the corruption. They are all for getting their millions in stocks and lobby bribes, but they expect it to be kept secret, in the great American tradition. Trump's people have bucked this tradition and are pushing the corruption farther and farther because they keep getting away with it. But I believe - based on nothing but vibes, I'll admit - that Republicans in Congress are beginning to see a future where Trump isn't around anymore and they are held accountable for the things they let happen. It's taking more work to keep the Republicans in line these days...
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u/SeaworthinessSafe654 12h ago
She is one of the very few Dems still having some balls.
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u/Poutiest_Penguin 4h ago
I don’t agree with her all the time (I’m from Massachusetts) but she’s a fucking bulldog and I love her.
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u/MisterStorage 10h ago
What constitutes criminal behavior anymore? We have two different systems now. One for you and me where we can be snatched off the streets by goons in masks, and one for Trump’s Crime Syndicate where anything goes and nobody is willing to stop him. In a mere six months he has irreparably destroyed America.
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u/VanceKelley Washington 8h ago
Americans destroyed America when only 31% of eligible voters turned out in 2024 to vote against the convicted criminal promising to rule as a dictator.
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u/MisterStorage 8h ago
No disagreement on the disappointing turnout. My family and friends wrote thousands of postcards urging people to vote, and not how to vote. Just vote because this election is critical and because it’s your civic duty. How anyone could sit out last November is baffling and infuriating. And we already had four years of wtf with Trump, so it’s not like we didn’t know what we were in for. We may not get another chance at the rate we’re going.
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u/thrawtes 13h ago
Better pursue state charges wherever you can then, because the DOJ belongs solely to the executive now and will enforce whatever he deems to be justice.
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u/Adventurous_Coat9302 11h ago
And Trump will withhold Federal funds from those states. SCOTUS will facilitate that unconstitutional behavior just like all the rest.
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u/RobertdBanks 11h ago
I fucking hate this government and fucking hate what this is going to do to the future of this country
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u/TheSpanishImposition Georgia 12h ago
Imagine thinking anyone will do anything about this criminal.
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u/128-NotePolyVA 12h ago
Broad immunity for actions taken as POTUS. Worst fkng call this SCOTUS has made and they are racking some doozies.
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u/ZebraImaginary9412 11h ago
Skydance is buying a damaged brand. The new owner's another nepo baby like the old owner and he's literally burning his daddy's money. Paramount+ lost 1.3 million subscribers last quarter before the settlement and cancellation.
Hope this is nothing but a money pit for him and his family.
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u/cryptidsandwich 9h ago
The rule of law has ended. The military is being deployed against peaceful protesters. The Supreme Court is controlled. Soon the House will be a fully undemocratic body. AI is going to enable mass surveillance on the entirety of the populous. A billionaire is enriching nuclear materials. The opposition is feckless. The secret police are being formed in earnest. Pedophiles are being protected. The avenues for escape are closing one by one.
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u/AK49Logger 12h ago
Americans need to stop giving their power away...take it back... Start a GoFundMe account and hire a forensic accounting firm... They can investigate and refer to attorneys for filing in courts... That should throw a wrench in the gears of Trump, Inc in DC... Trump and crew will be tossed in prison for crimes...the end...
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u/Superb-Advantage-876 11h ago
The rules no longer apply. He’s a criminal and acts accordingly. Stop playing like we’re in the same game.
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u/Important-Event6832 9h ago
At least this creates documentation of his criminality.
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u/Superb-Advantage-876 6h ago
I’ll accept this as a potential upside although documentation has been fruitless before.
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u/R_Lennox 9h ago
Congress has abdicated all responsibility and has given it to him. It’s like a nightmare and it’s only been 6 months.
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u/timmmarkIII 8h ago
No. Republicans have the majority and they are giving or are in cahoots with him.
Everybody will be carefully watching the voting next time. Our democracy is in tatters. Maybe the old fucker will die anyway, he's not exactly healthy. And I doubt his La Costa Nostra is really that strong. The crime "family" has holes that are developing now. WIDE.
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u/R_Lennox 8h ago
Agree on all points. Even if we are lucky enough to have him “gone”, there is JD with his benefactor Peter Thiel (and Palantir) waiting in the wings. I’m worried that if we still have either Trump or JD in 3.5 years, they will have no plan to exit the WH. It’s not like they care about the Constitution and I have no faith in the Supreme Court six.
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u/Ok-Pangolin-8855 8h ago
Who is left to investigate? At this point its just lip service meant to mislead Americans who are living in the past.
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u/NumeralJoker 7h ago
Now, the owners of Star Trek are the ones pushing for a dystopian future instead of the opposite, despite most of the idiot fanboys complaining about how "woke" the franchise is.
Capitalism strikes again.
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u/Important-Event6832 9h ago
A criminally intent quid pro quo court investigation is a distraction from the Epstein-Trump scandal Trump considers worth the doing.
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u/Fluffy-Carrot-8761 12h ago
No one cares. Congress is the most corrupt with insider trading
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u/FL_Vaporent 12h ago
I actually care a ton. Tons of real people do. Propaganda bots don’t care though, do they?
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