CBS Takes Possession of Confidential Files from Dismissed Reporter Investigating Hunter Biden Laptop Story: Sources Reveal Unprecedented Action

The CBS reporter investigating the Hunter Biden laptop scandal had her personal files seized by the network after she was fired last week, sources told The Post. Catherine Herridge, who is in the middle of a First Amendment case, was among 20 CBS News staffers let go and her firing had stunned co-workers. The network’s decision to keep her personal materials and work laptop has left many staffers shaken.

A source familiar with the situation said the files most likely contain confidential material from Herridge’s stints at both Fox and CBS. CBS has said they have respected Herridge’s request to not go through the files, but sources fear that the network’s actions could have an impact on Herridge’s First Amendment case. The journalist may soon be held in contempt of court for not divulging her source for an investigative piece she penned in 2017 when she worked for Fox News.

CBS could be subpoenaed to reveal her source’s identity, which would threaten free press principles. Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar and a former CBS legal analyst, said the timing of the journalist’s termination raised suspicions. SAG-AFTRA, the union which represents CBS staffers, condemned the network for seizing Herridge’s notes and research from her office, saying it sets a dangerous precedent for all media professionals and threatens the very foundation of the First Amendment.