(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, fired senior correspondent Catherine Herridge amid a rampant reduction of approximately 800 jobs, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.
Herridge’s dismissal coincided with her legal standoff over the non-disclosure of sources related to her reporting on a Chinese American and her damning coverage of the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden—topics that rarely make headlines in legacy media outlets.
The NY Post revealed that Herridge had previously clashed with CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, who faced scrutiny in 2021 over allegations of favoritism and other discriminatory hiring practices.
Another victim of the lay-offs was CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues, whose publicized scolding of a female staffer in a reported “20-minute rant” may have led to his termination.
A source told the NY Post that Ciprian-Matthews may have weaponized the lay-offs in a bid to oust her foes. “She got rid of her enemies under the guise of budget cuts,” the source said. “She cleared the deck and she had to sacrifice some others like Pegues.”
Reactions exploded on Twitter as critics insinuated an alleged connection between Herridge’s departure and her reporting on allegations of corruption, bribery and influence peddling rocking Biden.
Characterizing Herridge’s firing as “wild,” conservative influencer Collin Rugg remarked, “Herridge was fired just hours after she reported on how Biden may have ‘retained sensitive documents related to specific countries involving his family’s foreign business dealings.’”
JUST IN: CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge fired in company wide layoffs conducted by Paramount Global.
Herridge was one of 800 people who got axed on Tuesday in Paramount Global’s massive cost-cutting operation.
Herridge was fired just hours after she reported on how… pic.twitter.com/vyVKfErSY2
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 13, 2024
On Monday, Herridge reported on a letter sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland by congressional leaders regarding the transcript of President Joe Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur.
.@JudiciaryGOP @GOPoversight @WaysandMeansGOP “The Committees require this (Biden/Hur interview) transcript..there is concern that President Biden may have retained sensitive documents related to specific countries involving his family’s foreign business dealings…” by Feb. 19 pic.twitter.com/tdcI8aU01T
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) February 12, 2024
The letter’s senders, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.; and House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., are seeking answers to the evidence that Biden “willfully” retained classified documents despite lacking the authorization to do so.
