Former CBS News investigative journalist Catherine Herridge has accused her previous employer of stifling efforts to investigate the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, despite directives from the highest levels of the network. In a striking revelation, Herridge alleged that CBS executives resisted pursuing the story, even as their CEO George Cheeks and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone emphasized its importance.
Herridge, a respected reporter with a history of breaking high-profile stories, took to social media to share details of her experience at CBS. According to her, Cheeks repeatedly stressed that investigating the Hunter Biden laptop scandal was a “high priority” for both him and Redstone, who controls CBS parent company Paramount Global.
“George Cheeks said to me on multiple occasions that this was a story of the highest priority for the network and that it was a high priority for his boss, Shari Redstone,” Herridge revealed in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I took on that assignment and did it to the best of my ability.”
However, Herridge said her efforts to pursue the story were met with resistance from within CBS News. “There were corners of support in the company who understood the value of investigating the Hunter Biden story,” she said. “But there were also elements that were just resistant, regardless of the facts.”
The Hunter Biden laptop, which surfaced in October 2020, contained emails, business texts, and financial documents that sparked allegations of corruption involving Hunter Biden and his father, then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Herridge said she presented evidence from the laptop—including emails referencing a $1 million retainer from a Chinese energy firm—to CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews and anchor Norah O’Donnell.
Despite the significance of the findings, her reporting was blocked from airing before the 2020 election. Herridge argued that delaying the story for political reasons violated journalistic principles.
“When we did the story, we did it after the midterms,” she said. “I argued against that because my training is that you should always do the story when it’s ready, not dictated by the political cycle.”
After the midterms, Herridge was encouraged to continue investigating the laptop’s contents. Among the revelations were text messages containing offensive language, including the N-word, and forensic evidence pointing to the use of multiple emails potentially tied to Joe Biden. Herridge proposed covering these findings, but CBS declined.
“I thought this was worthy of a story, but I was told that it was not something that interested CBS News,” she said.
It wasn’t until two years later that CBS aired a forensic review of the laptop data. By then, Ciprian-Matthews had been promoted to CBS News president.
Herridge expressed frustration over what she described as a “disconnect” at CBS. She found it shocking that directives from senior executives like Cheeks and Redstone were openly defied by newsroom leadership.
“I came to the conclusion that they must have felt they were more powerful than George Cheeks, which was astonishing to me,” she said. “I’d never worked at a place where a directive from the top would be so defied.”
In early 2023, Herridge was laid off during a round of cuts at CBS News’ parent company. The timing of her termination raised eyebrows, as it came shortly after she reported on Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. Herridge noted that her termination letter was drafted the day after her critical reporting aired.
“I found the timing significant,” she said, adding that she had consistently prioritized CBS’s interests even on stories that were unpopular within the network.
Adding to the controversy, Herridge revealed that CBS seized her reporting materials upon her termination. Sources claimed the decision was made by Ciprian-Matthews, though CBS declined to comment. Following pressure from the union representing Herridge, the files were eventually returned.
Herridge’s allegations highlight ongoing tensions within news organizations grappling with politically charged stories. Her claims also underscore broader concerns about media bias and the challenges of holding powerful individuals accountable.
For Herridge, the experience marked a turning point in her career. “As a journalist, it bothered me deeply,” she said. “I did everything I could to put CBS first on a story that was not popular among a lot of people in that network.”
CBS has not responded to requests for comment on Herridge’s allegations. Meanwhile, her revelations add to the growing debate over the media’s role in covering politically sensitive stories.
Ms. Herridge is revealing the true enemy within. I would be ecstatic if Ciprian-Matthews addressed this!!!
Herridge is a coward. Much like the military officers now claiming to have their advice ignored during the horrific Afghanistan exit, the time for disclosing injustice to the American public is not after you are fired or retire. These people owe it to the American public to be honest and resign in protest at the time, not long after when the damage has already been done. Everybody with any sense knows that CBS was covering up the laptop story and many other stories about the Biden crime family. Herridge chose her cushy job over the public’s right to know the truth. The result of her cowardice is that we suffered through 4 years of Biden/Harris.
with out her you would be still thinking there may be a conspiracy. you haven’t worked in her shoes or life priorities, most heroes are forced to act not born that way.
Did you mean to say “not a conspiracy”? After all an ad hoc conspiracy is still a conspiracy.
Currently, investigative reporters are being murdered GLOBALLY. Companies like CBS have people running them that have a SPECIFIC public agenda and message.
The question is “who are the ones funding and training these people?”. When we see FBI, DOJ, even FDA lying to the public and news media covering up criminal acts by a Vice President who is running for President we need to look more closely.
When we find the White House literally controlling social media and forcing the removal of opinion and TRUTHS about the administration when that is happening we MUST assume that there is an actual agenda and a conspiracy.
If it looks like a duck….
The damage they caused and facilitated is enormous and a giant tragedy; now they want to play nice guy?
Doesn’t cut the mustard! Or the pass the stink test!
I would like to know if someone can take away their Right to protection as a journalist organization. If they are politically being controled they are not independently reporting the story. These organizations should not have first amendment protections.
Self-serving phony bigots only running a damage control agenda!
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE!
I’m sure this isn’t confined to just CBS or just TV news- Newspapers also share in this. For too many years the media has been lying to us – including the lies about Trump. The thing that bothers me is the Democrats who stoop so low as to try and lie to damage Trump. Compound that by the coward democrats to make threats against Trump’s cabinet appointments . I consider any low life democrat as a liar and traitor.
Thank god we dodged the nut job Kamala as it was obvious to voters that she was an incompetent fool. Now all you dirtbag democrats sit back, STFU and watch a Real President return the USA to its rightful place.
Couldn’t agree more!
4 years late! Not impressed.
GOD BLESS THIS GREAT LADY!!!!