CBS News fired a high-profile reporter who covered investigations related to the Biden family and has allegedly seized her personal notes, a move criticized by her union as "completely inappropriate" and "highly unusual."
Catherine Herridge, currently involved in a First Amendment case that has garnered widespread attention among journalists, was one of 20 CBS News employees who were fired last week as part of a broader downsizing effort that affected hundreds of employees at the parent company Paramount Global. Herridge's firing stunned her colleagues, and the network's choice to seize her personal belongings, including her work laptop which likely contains other confidential information, has unsettled many staff members, insiders said.
Fired and Seized Personal Belongings
In a statement on Thursday, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing CBS employees, said, it "strongly condemns CBS News' decision to seize Catherine Herridge's reporter notes and research from her office, including confidential source information."
"It's so extraordinary," commented a source familiar with the situation to The New York Post, emphasizing that the files, now presumably owned by CBS News, likely contain confidential material from Herridge's time at both Fox and CBS.
According to a source, CBS News packed up all of Herridge's personal belongings, excluding her notes and files, and notified her that the network would determine what, if anything, would be returned to her.
"They never seize documents [when you're let go]," a second source close to the network said.
"They want to see what damaging documents she has."
CBS also refuted allegations of improperly seizing Catherine Herridge's private files, telling DailyMail.com that the network intends to return the materials to her.
"Catherine's personal belongings were delivered to her home one week ago, and we are prepared to pack up the rest of her files immediately on her behalf – with her representative present as she requested," said a CBS News spokesperson.
Negative Impact on Case
Sources expressed concern that the actions taken by the network could potentially affect Herridge's First Amendment case, as her documents may include privileged conversations with her lawyers or reveal the identities of sources.
Herridge is facing criticism for not complying with the order from US District Judge Christopher Cooper, which requires her to disclose how she obtained information about a federal investigation into a Chinese American scientist running a graduate program in Virginia.
There is a possibility that the journalist could be held in contempt of court for refusing to reveal her source for an investigative piece she wrote in 2017 during her tenure at Fox News.
There are chances she could be ordered to personally pay fines totaling $5,000 a day.
Insiders have raised concerns that CBS might face a subpoena to disclose the identity of Herridge's source, a situation that could pose a threat to the principles of free press.
"This is a company that only plays checkers. They don't play chess," the second source said.
"They don't understand the ramifications of their actions."
