08:48 AM EDT, 05/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Paramount Global's ( PARAA ) efforts to settle President Donald Trump's lawsuit against its CBS News unit have caused several US senators to seek information about possible violations of a federal bribery statute in connection with Paramount's desire to complete a merger with Skydance Media, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, and Bernie Sanders said in a letter to Paramount Chair Shari Redstone they are concerned the company "may be engaging in improper conduct" in exchange for the approval of its merger with Skydance Media, the news outlet reported. The lawsuit has become a potential roadblock to the merger, the Journal reported.

President Trump's $2 billion lawsuit against CBS News alleges an interview aired on "60 Minutes" with the former Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in October was deceptively edited to make her sound better. CBS has said the interview was neither doctored, nor deceitful.

A spokesperson for Redstone told the Journal she had not read the senators' letter and that she has recused herself from the settlement talks.

Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires.

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