- Catherine Herridge was fired from CBS News in layoffs earlier this month
- SAG-AFTRA, the CBS workers union, accused the company of confiscating its tickets
- CBS insists it has not reviewed its notes and is willing to return them
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CBS News fired a high-profile reporter covering investigations into the Biden family, and the network is accused of confiscating her personal notes in a move her union calls “completely inappropriate” and “highly unusual.”
Catherine Herridge, a veteran reporter who covers intelligence and national security, was among hundreds of CBS employees who were laid off by parent company Paramount last week.
In a statement Thursday, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing CBS employees, said it “strongly condemns CBS News’ decision to seize Catherine Herridge’s reporting and investigations in her office, including information from confidential sources.” “.
“This action deeply concerns the union because it sets a dangerous precedent for all media professionals and threatens the very foundations of the First Amendment,” the statement added.
However, CBS denied allegations that it had improperly seized Herridge’s private files and told DailyMail.com that it planned to return the materials to him.
Catherine Herridge, a veteran reporter who covers intelligence and national security, was among the CBS News employees laid off last week.
Herridge had recently covered the House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and the criminal charges against Hunter Biden.
“Catherine’s personal belongings were delivered to her home a week ago and we are prepared to pack the rest of her files immediately on her behalf, with her representative present as she requested,” a CBS News spokesperson said.
“We have honored his request not to review the files and, out of concern for confidential sources, the office he occupied has remained secure since his departure,” CBS said.
The network said it is still “waiting for a response” from Herridge or his representative to arrange the transfer of the files to the journalist.
Herridge had recently covered the House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, special counsel Robert Hur’s report on his handling of classified documents and the criminal charges against Hunter Biden.
His inclusion in recent layoffs puzzled some industry observers, as he regularly broke news and scored scoops for CBS.
Herridge has not commented publicly on his firing, other than sharing the union statement on the matter of X.
“It is completely inappropriate for an employer to fire a journalist and take the highly unusual step of retaining and searching the journalist’s files, including source identification and confidential information,” the union said.
“The withholding of a media professional’s journalistic material by his former employer is a serious break with traditional practices that support the immediate return of journalistic material,” the union added.
Herridge authenticated Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop in November 2022
Separately, Herridge has been in the middle of a high-profile court battle over his refusal to reveal the sources of articles he wrote in 2017.
Citing sources, the New York Post claimed that Herridge had been investigating a story involving Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop and had “encountered obstacles” from management over his coverage of the First Son.
In November 2022, Herridge authenticated the laptop, which the Post first reported on in October 2020.
Separately, Herridge has been in the middle of a high-profile court battle over his refusal to reveal the sources of articles he wrote in 2017.
A judge has demanded that he reveal sources used in a series of articles about a Chinese-American scientist who was investigated by the FBI but never accused of wrongdoing.
Herridge could face fines of up to $5,000 per day if she refuses to be interviewed under oath for the case.
Fox News, where he worked at the time, has been covering his legal fees in the case.