CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is once again in the political spotlight as House Democrats open a formal inquiry into the Paramount–Skydance merger, citing concerns over political interference and “blatant attempts to placate the President.”
As first reported by The Hill this morning, House Energy and Commerce ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Judiciary ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sent a letter Wednesday to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison demanding detailed records, correspondence, and documentation related to the merger—including any communications with President Trump or his representatives.
The letter paints a damning picture, citing Ellison’s reported backchannel conversations with Trump at UFC events, the $16 million settlement paid by CBS News to resolve Trump’s “sham lawsuit,” and the network’s surprise cancellation of its top-rated late-night host. Pallone and Raskin point to the Colbert cancellation as one of several suspicious moves made “to curry favor with the Administration and to receive regulatory approval for the merger with Skydance.” They warn that if any of these actions were tied to a “side deal” offered to Trump, they “would run afoul of federal and state anti-bribery statutes.”
The letter follows a similar inquiry launched earlier this week by democratic Senator Adam Schiff, who also raised red flags about Colbert’s cancellation and whether the FCC’s approval of the merger had been tainted by political motivations. Schiff sent his own set of questions to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, calling the situation a “dangerous precedent of political interference.”
While the Ellison letter covers the broader deal, House Democrats are clearly honing in on The Late Show as a flashpoint—linking Trump’s known animus toward Colbert with the sudden axing of his show. They argue that removing a host who routinely criticized the president, just as a merger was being finalized, reflects a troubling pattern of “silencing” critical media voices to “placate the President.”
CBS has insisted that its decision to cancel The Late Show was “purely financial” and Skydance execs have denied playing any role.
The lawmakers have given Ellison until September 3 to respond. Read their full letter below:
House Democrats Cite Colbert Cancellation in Probe of Paramount Skydance Merger
