July 2 (Reuters) - A Democrat on the Federal

Communications Commission called Paramount's $16

million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by U.S. President

Donald Trump over a CBS News' 60 Minutes interview broadcast

with rival Kamala Harris "a desperate move" to secure approval

of a merger.

Paramount needs approval from the FCC for an $8.4-billion merger

with Skydance Media. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said the

settlement over an entirely "meritless" lawsuit "now casts a

long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before

the FCC" and "marks a dangerous precedent for the First

Amendment."