President Trump scored a victory on Tuesday when a judge deemed CBS and Paramount’s motion to dismiss “moot” as his election interference and news distortion lawsuit moves forward.
Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News in October, alleging election interference over its handling of a “60 Minutes” interview, accusing the network of aiding his Democrat rival Vice President Kamala Harris through deceptive editing one month before the election.
Last week, Trump’s legal team amended the original lawsuit after the release of the unedited transcript and raw footage of its controversial “60 Minutes” interview. The lawsuit added CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, as a defendant, citing how the “60 Minutes” election special was platformed on its Paramount+ streaming service. The lawsuit added Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as a plaintiff and increased the damages claim to $20 billion
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk denied a motion from CBS and Paramount seeking to dismiss for failing to state a claim and for improper venue.
“Plaintiffs add a Defendant, a Plaintiff, and a litany of factual allegations and legal claims in their Amended Complaint. Accordingly, the Motions are denied as moot,” Kacsmaryk ruled in a court filing obtained by