1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

The recent cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" by CBS, a subsidiary of Paramount Global, just days after Colbert's stinging criticism of Paramount's $16 million settlement with former President Trump, raises concerning questions. This settlement, which critics argue was to clear a hurdle for Paramount's pending sale to Skydance Media, gives the appearance of a "big fat bribe" in Colbert's words. The timing of Colbert's show cancellation after he voiced offense at the settlement deal cannot be ignored. There are valid concerns that this move by Paramount may have been retaliatory and an attempt to silence criticism over potential wrongdoing related to the merger approval process. Given the high-profile nature of this case and the crucial principles of free speech and media independence at stake, I urge you to thoroughly investigate whether any unethical or illegal conduct occurred at Paramount in its dealings with the Trump administration. The public deserves full transparency.