(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."