Catherine Herridge, former CBS journalist, has exposed the network’s suppression of her reporting on Hunter Biden’s notorious “Laptop from Hell.”
This from slaynews.com.
Herridge alleged her former employer, CBS News, delayed her report on Hunter Biden’s laptop until after the 2022 midterms.
The New York Post reported:
The seasoned journalist accused CBS of suppressing crucial findings related to Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Herridge asserted she brought validated materials to her superiors, which were not aired until later.
In early October 2020, Herridge approached Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, a top CBS News executive, and anchor Norah O’Donnell with explosive content from a laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden.
This included a retainer agreement worth $1 million with a Chinese energy firm.
Despite Herridge’s efforts in verifying a plethora of data from the laptop, including texts and emails directly linked to Hunter Biden, her reports were sidelined.
Recall, 60 Minutes news creator Lesley Stahl publicly dismissed the laptop’s authenticity in an interview with President Trump, claiming the information “couldn’t be verified.”
This statement contrasted sharply with Herridge’s confidence in the legitimacy of the findings.
She detailed her extensive verification process, which involved cross-referencing court records and contacting multiple sources.
Herridge noted a significant “disconnect” in collaboration between CBS’s news division and the 60 Minutes team, which she believed hindered further investigation and verification of her findings.
Herridge observed:
Surprisingly, no investigative unit at CBS took up further exploration of the laptop’s contents during the critical pre-election period of October 2020.
She noted:
This was unusual, as it deviated from what [is] considered standard journalistic practice.
The story’s absence from the airwaves continued until long after the 2020 presidential election, with CBS only broadcasting a forensic review of the laptop data in November 2022, following the midterm elections.
The delay in coverage meant that the New York Post remained the sole major outlet to report on the laptop’s connection to Hunter Biden during the initial outbreak of the story.
Moreover, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter initially banned users from sharing the story, which was reported first by the Post in October 2020.
Earlier in 2023, Herridge was among several journalists let go as part of broader cuts by CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global.
Upon her termination, CBS seized all her reporting materials, which were only returned following pressure from her union.
Herridge has expressed disillusionment and frustration over her experiences.
Reflecting on the moment her work was dismissed on national television, she wrote:
As I watched the broadcast, I felt sick.
The tension between Herridge and her superiors, particularly with Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews who stepped down from her role as president of CBS News in August 2023, highlights deeper issues within the network concerning editorial freedom and journalistic integrity.
Herridge’s case sheds light on the challenges journalists often face when their findings might stir political or corporate discomfort.
Uncertain why her verified report on such a pivotal matter was stalled, Herridge said:
I don’t know at this point what happened.
No doubt, the details of Herridge’s claims will unfold, and this will likely be further indictment of media executives and the claim of the absence of transparency.
