New Paramount CEO David Ellison reiterated that Skydance has complied with all laws, including anti-bribery laws, but did not go into any details of Donald Trump‘s claim that the company agreed to an additional $16 million in PSAs and advertisements as part of a settlement of his lawsuit.
“We’re basically clear that we comply with all laws, including anti-bribery laws,” Ellison told reporters on Thursday, just hours after his Skydance completed their merger with Paramount.
Press further on an alleged “side deal,” Ellison said, “We’re not going to politicize anything today. I’m not going to do that today.”
Last month, Paramount settled Trump’s lawsuit over the way that CBS News’ 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris. Paramount settled for $16 million, to go to Trump’s future presidential library, but Trump later claimed that the sum was higher, with an additional $16 million in PSAs and ads.
Paramount denied knowledge of a side deal, while Skydance did not comment.
But Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and other Senate Democrats have pressed Ellison on whether Skydance agreed to any arrangement to Trump to provide PSA airtime or advertising. Skydance responded by asserting that it complied with anti-bribery laws, but did not directly address Trump’s claim.
