Bad Journalism 2025…
CBS Kills 60 Minute CECOT Story

 

 

Detroit News, front page story of 12/23/25
(from the Washington Post)

The Detroit News, front-page story (Unaired Story on Trump Policy Stirs ’60 minutes’ Spat ) was written by two Washington Post reporters and re-published on the front page of the Detroit News on 12/23/2025. My response to the “journalistic standards” of that story is absolutely necessary for the good of the order… “to wit” (as the lawyers say) for the good of the 1st. Amendment and the good of We the People’s Right to Know what’s going on.

That “Unaired” 60 Minutes exposé was set to run Sunday, 12/21/2025… exposing the treatment of immigrants who disappear from Trump’s America into El Salvador’s, torturous, inhumane, hell hole prison, CECOT.

The Washington Post (slash) Detroit News, front page story quotes 60 Minutes reporter, Sharyn Alfonsi, who claims the (unaired) CECOT torture story was previously approved to air on 60 minutes, but was “killed” at the last minute by CBS’ Editor in Chief, Bari Weiss (apparently connected to Donald Trump through various financial and/or political layers). 60 Minutes reporter, Alfonsi, is quoted as saying, she “learned Saturday that Bari Weiss [Editor in Chief of `CBS-– the producer and broadcaster of 60 minutes] killed the story, [even though it] was screened five times and cleared by both the standards department and by [CBS’s] network attorneys.” What then does CBS’s Editor in Chief Weiss’ proffer as her reason for killing the story ??? Weiss claims the “Unaired” story was killed because the White House refused 60 minutes’ offer to respond to the story. In reply, Sharyn Alfonsi (of 60 Minutes) tells us, “Government silence is a statement, not a veto” and “[the Trump Administration’s] refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story.”

And, if there is any question about CBS Editor, Barri Weiss, “playing political favorites” in killing the “Unaired” 60 Minutes CECOT story…  just remember that two months later, in February 2026, that very same, Barri Weiss told CBS talk show host, Stephen Colbert, that he could not have Texas, Democrat, Senate candidate, James Talarico, appear on his (Colbert’s) show, nor talk about him, nor show an image of him.. which the ever outrageous and always courageous Colbert promptly ignored by exposing Weiss’ attempt to censor his 2/16/2026 Colbert Report.

Back to the 60 Minutes “Unaired” story. For me (a voice of one), I am left to wonder whether the “fix” was in and “Trump & Friends” intimidated CBS or twisted CBS’s arm or leaned on Bari Weiss (or others) to kill the 60 Minutes, “Unaired” CECOT (torture) story… because, well because, Trump, the Master of Disaster and Fake News, wanted to control the narrative of that story and, perhaps, tamp down (or is it “tamp up”) his dismal, approval ratings.

But, disappointingly, the Washington Post (slash) Detroit News front page story (of 12/23/2026) does not cover the “motive and opportunity” Trump & Friends may have had to kill the “Unaired” 60 Minutes, CECOT prison story. There was no supporting role in the Washington Post article for a Detective Columbo (actor, Peter Falk), “Who done it” story or even “Who had the motive and opportunity” to do it (kill the 60 Minutes, “Unaired” story).

Some would argue that the Washington Post should have editorial control over developing  “Who done it” stories as well as the control over when a “Who done it” story is ready to see the light of day. But, the problem for the Washington Post is the perception of We the People that it’s owner, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos… may have “exerted” Journalistic control over the Washington Post (slash) Detroit News front page article to protect his friend, Donald Trump (something Bezos has previously done). Right before the 2024 Presidential election, Bezos (usurped “journalistic” control) and vetoed the Washington Post’s, editorial endorsement of Kamala Harris for President. That, already written and approved, endorsement of Kamala Harris never saw the light of day (thanks to Trump’s supporter Bezos). And, not to be outdone in showing allegiance to Trump & Friends, Bezos later self-funded a lackluster, multimillion dollar, Amazon, Prime Video Documentary on Melania Trump. For Bezos, “having friends in high places” seems to be much more important than informing We the People of “What’s going on.”

Paragraph 14… What ???

Case in point ??? The Washington Post in their front page 12/23/2026 “Unaired”… 60 Minutes CECOT story (confusingly) publish a rather indecipherable paragraph detailing the names of CBS and Trump Friends who may (or may not) have been pressuring Barri Weiss and CBS to kill the 60 Minutes’ “Unaired story.” I refer to a very awkwardly written para 14 of the Washington Post article… which I quote directly below in bold.

“Weiss was named CBS’s top editor this fall after David Ellison’s newly formed Paramount Skydance bought the Free Press, the opinion website she founded, for $150 million. While the two properties are still technically separate, Weiss runs both. Her early days at the network have been marked by rapid changes, including restructuring and layoffs. Weiss launched a town hall series including an interview with Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Earlier in December, CBS promoted Tony Dokoupil, who has co-anchored ‘CBS Mornings’ since 2019, to anchor ‘CBS Evening News,’ one of the most prominent jobs in television journalism. Ellison is the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people and a Trump political ally. “

What ??? What does CBS new’s anchor, Tony Dokoupil, have to do with anything ??? What does Erika Kirk and Charlie Kirk (deceased) have to do with anything ??? Why are their names even mentioned ??? What do the others mentioned have to do with the story to kill (aka censor) the 60 minutes “Unaired” CECOT story ??? There was no attempt to tie the paragraph 14 names into Bari Weiss’ killing of that “Unaired” CECOT story. Paragraph 14 begs the question, What are the Washington Post writers even saying about all the names in the above paragraph 14 and why are they saying it ???

The above, paragraph 14 is not just awkwardly written. It is (at first, second and third glance) barely decipherable “theoretically” (i.e. in and of itself) and confusing in a “practical” sense (i.e. in the “context” of the “Unaired” 60 Minutes CECOT story). What does paragraph 14 add to the “Unaired” CECOT story, if anything ??? Why is paragraph 14 even in the 60 Minutes “Unaired” CECOT story ??? Was it an AI blurb that wasn’t edited for relevancy or clarity ???  Is paragraph 14 just a “goose chase” to confuse the reader or a “red herring” to throw the reader off (or on) the scent of what’s going on. Or, is it the best the Washington Post writers could do, to shed some light on “Who done it” … as Big Brother Bezos was looking over the journalist’s shoulder ???

As I say, why is paragraph 14 even in the article. At best, it may be a hint at who may have vetoed the ”Unaired” 60 minutes story and why. At worst, it is a huge chase your tail, red herring distraction… perhaps, the product of “unedited” AI. Whew !!! What a battle just trying to understand a front-page, new’s story about the very important issue of censorship of Journalism. . Whatever the source (human error, AI or censorship), the above, paragraph 14 quote is just poorly written, inadequately developed and a giant, mind-numbing distraction. Paragraph 14 is a lack of communication and the antithesis of Journalism. Paragraph 14 defeats the very goal and purpose of the 1st. Amendment “to inform” We the People of… what’s going on ???

Paragraph 14 is so awkwardly written that it forced me to diagram and outline each sentence, after which I had to throw up my hands in defeat and move on allowing for the possibility that I am just not that bright or fluid with the written word. But, I did do a double check with my, independent, tough-minded, Summa cum Laude, 25-year-old daughter who major in Media Journalism at the University of Miami Florida. She put in the time, did her own diagram of paragraph 14 and then after 10 minutes, she also threw her hands up in the air.

And, whatever the answer, whatever the reasons for (or the necessity of) paragraph 14 being included in the story, the toll on newspaper readers everywhere is the same. As my Bookie Father would aptly say about a sure bet, “$5 gets you $10,” most readers who read the above quoted paragraph 14… wouldn’t even finish the whole paragraph 14 before throwing their hands up in the air and walking away from the Washington Post article, learning nothing. Hey, If the undereducated Common Man and Forgotten Woman (or even the educated Common Man and Forgotten Woman) can’t understand the story, can’t “connect the dots” of the layers of players mentioned in Paragraph 14 or don’t have the time I spent trying to decipher the story… where are they supposed to get their news ???

Even if paragraph 14 is an AI glitch, why was it left in the story ???… with its distracting string of names and players that never get connected to the larger story of, Who Shot J.R. ??? (Dallas T.V. series). Or, in this case, WHO was the Puppeteer in Chief, pulling the strings when CBS Editor in Chief, Bari Weiss, (ostensively) killed the 60 Minutes, “Unaired” story (of harsh and torturous treatment of American immigrants at CECOT’s notorious prison) ??? Or, stated differently, perhaps, the stringing-together of names, positions and relationships of people in the above paragraph 14 are the dots (if you will) that were never connected to figuring out WHO may have been leaning on Editor Bari Weiss and twisting her arm or who may have been in her ear or who may have been calling the shots when Barri Weiss pulled the plug on the 60 Minutes, Unaired story on CECOT ???

And, maybe… the answer from the Washington Post is, “It doesn’t matter” to the story who was actually involved in calling the shots on pulling the plug on the 60 minutes “Unaired” story because the “Who” and “Why” were not the focus or the purpose of the Washington Post piece. If so, then, I ask ??? Why did the Washington Post, the Detroit News and their Editors allow the great distraction of the barely decipherable paragraph 14 to stay in the story ??? Could the answer to my question be… because the Washington Post writers and their editors studiously avoided giving any “Who done it and Why” coverage… instead, leaving it to the readers to connect the dots, out of paragraph 14’s list of the names ??? A list of names that (in some combination or other) may have, very likely, been responsible for the killing of the 60 Minutes “Unaired” story… while (at the same time) those Washington Post writers or editors were being purposely vague in paragraph 14 so as to avoid the wrath of a vindictive Trump & Friends ???

The ultimate, “journalism” question ??? Who are we Americans to get our news from… if not America’s newspapers ??? From Trump ??? the Pinocchio in Chief ??? From Trump’s Truth Social ??? From Trump’s vassal, Hillbilly J. D. ??? From Trump’s Secretary of War, Peter Hegseth ??? (when he comes up for air from his daytime job as Judge, Jury and Executioner of boat passengers in the Caribbean Sea). From Elon Musk’s “X” ??? From Trump’s friends at Fox News  ??? From Trump’s Press Secretary, “I have all the answers” Karoline Leavitt ??? From Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem (she who does her photo ops at CECOT prison, lecturing the rest of the world that, if they are bad, they too will go to CECOT for a “time out”) ??? From Trump’s Homeland Security spokesperson, the ever-defensive, Tricia McGlaughlin ??? From Trump’s head of the FHFA, William “Wild Bill” Pulte and his, mortgage-fraud, “investigative force of one” ??? From Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bobby Kennedy Jr. ??? From MAGA ??? From America First’s ??? Who then ??? If not the press ???

If paragraph 14 is not an AI hallucination,  then something else may be going on to protect Jeff Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post, and/or CBS (the producer and television outlet of 60 Minutes), both of whom want and need the ever-vindictive and punishing Trump to be in their corner … in Trump’s all powerful and punishing world of Crony Capitalism.

Leaving behind the undecipherable, “chase your tail” paragraph 14 for the moment… what I see going on in the larger, changing, Trump world of today… is younger generations more influenced by Trump & Friends “transactional” mindset aka “If it makes us rich, even at the expense of humanity, it must be good”… rather than the integrity and the philosophical “mindset and idealism” of the Founding Fathers and the Greatest Generation. Ugg !!!

Did “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” … kill the 60 Minutes CECOT Story ???

Let me try to connect some “possible” dots of censorship that the Washington Post (slash) Detroit News article may have been hinting at in the above paragraph 14, but that they never connected or explained. Quite possibly, the names, titles and relationships (thrown out by the Washington Post in the above quoted paragraph 14) killed the “Unaired” 60 Minutes Story …

• Larry Ellison (the Father) owns Oracle. He is Billionaire (a hundred times over). Larry Ellison is/was a financial backer of both his Son, David Ellison and Donald Trump.
• David Ellison (the Son) owns Paramount Skydance (probably with the financial backing of his Father Larry).
• Paramount Skydance owns CBS News (Getting warmer ???).
• Apparently, CBS News produces 60 Minutes and airs it on CBS Television
• Paramount Skydance (the Son) recently bought out Bari Weiss’ opinion website, The Free Press, for $150 million. Nice payday.
• Thereafter, Bari Weiss was retained to run (apparently) both her former opinion website, The Free Press, and Paramount Skydance (both, as I say, apparently, owned by the Son, David Ellison).
• Thereafter, in the Fall of 2025, Bari Weiss was appointed CBS’s Editor in Chief and (in that capacity) she (ostensibly) was the one who killed 60 Minute’s, El Salvador, CECOT torture story.
• But, as I say, the question remains… who was/were the actual Puppeteer(s) in Chief who were pulling the strings when Bari Weiss, ostensibly, killed the 60 Minutes Unaired Story ???

So, where do we end up ???  “Apparently,” the  players in paragraph 14 (most connected, in some fashion or other, to the financial interests of CBS) are living by the rich man’s/rich woman’s code, “one hand washes the other”… especially important when those players are (or, someday, may be) “beholden” to the good graces of Trump & Friends for future business opportunities and the billions they’ll earn. So, those players may be just “playing ball” and giving-in to Trump’s self-serving, narcissistic need to look good in his pompadour spotlight of current events. And, currying favor with those Trump & Friends connections, probably, had a lot to do with killing the “Unaired” 60 minutes story… the exposé on the torture in El Salvador’s CECOT, Supermax facility.

Could it be ???

Could it be ??? Could it be…  that the Washington Post journalists (who wrote the Unaired Story on Trump Policy Stirs ’60 minutes’ Spat) were “purposefully vague” in not connecting the dots so they would not draw the wrath of Trump or his billionaire supporter, Jeff Bezos  (owner of the Washington Post) and find themselves in the Trump-Bezos’ rifle sights or out on the streets without a job, or, worse yet, referred by Trump to the U.S. Attorney’s office for investigation ??? Just ask former FBI Director, James Comey, former Special Counsel, Jack Smith and New York State Attorney General, Letitia James.

After hours of diagraming, that’s about as good as I can do… to try and decipher the Washington Post’s story (Unaired Story on Trump Policy Stirs ’60 minutes’ Spat) reproduced in the 12/23/2025 Detroit News. But, the reality ??? None of us citizens are going to be informed by the newspaper media if it takes hours just to attempt to decipher a single, front-page story ???

 

Fred Lauck
Copyrighted 2025

Note. The “Unaired” CECOT story slipped out and then CBS reversed direction and allowed the “Unaired Story” to be aired on 60 Minutes in 2026.