Bari Weiss Laid Out ‘Specific’ Issues with 60 Minutes CECOT Report in Leaked Memo Before Yanking Segment
(Gilberto Tadday/TED)
A leaked memo sent to senior producers on Sunday shows CBS News editor-in-chief At least Weiss arguing that it is completed 60 Minutes A segment on this week’s show about the Trump administration’s deportations required more context and balance and was not ready for air.
The episode, which focused on the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison, was pulled shortly before airing. The decision sparked immediate resistance in the newsroom.
In the note, Acquired by AxiosWeiss argued that the report did not adequately reflect the administration’s position or legal reasoning, and said the episode “paints an inconsistent picture” after reporters were unable to solidly secure on-the-record responses from senior Trump officials.
Reporter in a pointed internal email that was also leaked Sharyn AlfonsiThe report’s author backtracked on this point and argued that “the government’s silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
“Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to destroy the story,” he wrote.
But Weiss’s criticism went a little further.
“We are not currently presenting the administration’s argument for why it sent 252 Venezuelans to CECOT,” the editor wrote.
He questioned whether the segment relied too heavily on limited audio recordings, adding: “Here’s what we have: Karoline Leavitt Soundbite claiming that they are evildoers (rapists, murderers, etc.) in America. But isn’t there more to ask in light of the torture we’ve revealed?” Weiss called on manufacturers to intensify efforts to get comments from figures like the border czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.
“We need to do a better job of explaining the administration’s legal justification for detaining and deporting these 252 Venezuelans to CECOT,” he said, emphasizing that the issue goes beyond simple reading. Alien Enemies Act.
“There is a real debate here,” he added, calling for competing legal interpretations to be presented side by side.
Read Weiss’ full memo below:
Hello everyone,
I write with specific guidance on what I want us to do to advance the CECOT story. I know you all want to see this run as soon as possible; I feel the same way. However, if we publish the work as is, we will harm our audience.
Last month many outlets, especially New York TimesIt exposed the appalling conditions at CECOT. Our story is more than just these powerful testimonies, and placing these accounts in the public record is valuable in itself. But if we’re going to publish another story on a topic that’s already been covered a lot, we need to move it forward. Ways to do this include: anyone from management or anyone prominent advocating the use of this practice Alien Enemies Act Now, when you think about what these Venezuelans went through in CECOT, do you regret it? This is a question I would like to see asked and answered.
We are not currently presenting the administration’s argument for why it sent 252 Venezuelans to CECOT. We have Karoline Leavitt’s short essay claiming that there are evildoers (rapists, murderers, etc.) in America. But isn’t there more to ask in light of the torture we’ve exposed? Tom Homan and Stephen Miller don’t tend to be shy. I realize we emailed DHS spox, but we need to try much harder to get these directors on the record.
The data we present paint an inconsistent picture. We say that almost half of the 252 Venezuelans sent to CECOT have no criminal history. In other words, more than half have a criminal history. We should spend some time explaining this. We then say that only 8 out of 252 people in America are convicted of violent crimes. What about pricing? My point is that we should include as much as we can recognize and understand about these individuals.
Secretary Noem’s trip to CECOT. We report that he took photos and videos there with MS-13 gang members, not with TdA members, and that he or his team did not comment on what his purpose was on this trip, what he saw there, or whether he had concerns about the treatment of detainees, as in our article. I also think the analysis put forward by the Berkeley students is strange. The pictures are alarming; We must include them. So what does the analysis add?
We need to better explain the legal justification for the administration’s detention and deportation of these 252 Venezuelans to CECOT. It’s not as simple as Trump calling Alien Enemies Act and be able to deport them immediately. And that’s not the administration’s argument. The administrator argued in court that detainees should be subject to “judicial review,” and we must explain this with a voice arguing that Trump overstepped his authority under the relevant law and a voice arguing that he acted within the bounds of his authority. There’s a real debate here. If we cut Kristi Noem We would have time for analysis.
My general view here is that we best serve our audience by giving them the exact context they need to evaluate the story. So I believe we need to do more reporting here.
I am ready and willing to help. I found Homan and Miller’s cell phone numbers and sent them. Please let me know how I can support you.
yours,
At least
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Post READ: Bari Weiss Reveals ‘Exclusive’ Issues With 60-Minute CECOT Report In Leaked Memo Before Filming Segment appeared for the first time mediate.
