Brian Murray Williams

News Team, Thank you for the notes and texts. I apologize for not reaching out earlier. I learned on Saturday that Bari Weiss spiked our story, INSIDE CECOT, which was supposed to air tonight. We (Ori and I) asked for a call to discuss her decision. She did not afford us that courtesy/opportunity. Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now-after every rigorous internal check has been met is not an editorial decision, it is a political one. We requested responses to questions and/or interviews with DHS, the White House, and the State Department. Government silence is a statement, not a VETO. Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story. If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we

have effectively handed them a "kill switch" for any reporting they find inconvenient. If the standard for airing a story becomes "the government must agree to be interviewed," then the government effectively gains control over the 60 Minutes broadcast. We go from an investigative powerhouse to a stenographer for the state. These men risked their lives to speak with us. We have a moral and professional obligation to the sources who entrusted us with their stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless. CBS spiked the Jeffrey Wigand interview due to legal concerns, nearly destroying the credibility of this broadcast. It took years to recover from that "low point." By pulling this story to shield an administration, we are repeating that history, but for political optics rather than legal ones.

We have been promoting this story on social media for days. Our viewers are expecting it. When it fails to air without a credible explanation, the public will correctly identify this as corporate censorship. We are trading 50 years of "Gold Standard" reputation for a single week of political quiet. I care too much about this broadcast to watch it be dismantled without a fight. Sharyn

Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:

If you’re in a creative field and you don’t lift up the work of your peers, you can’t expect people to care about your stuff

And then this shit just came out.

When you’re making over $700k a year, gaining $12k is nothing. It’s a nice vacation, redoing the garage, giving a niece/nephew a car.

When you’re making $23k a year, losing $1600 is “are we paying for food or for the house or for medical bills” territory.

At ABC News paying Trump $ is fine, telling the truth is not.

Support pro-democracy independent media. hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0

Massive #HandsOff rallies across the country 🔥🔥🔥

A text post from artist Harvey Fierstein, which reads: "I have been banned from THE KENNEDY CENTER. A few folks have written to ask how I feel about Trump's takeover of The Kennedy Center. How do you think I feel? The shows I've written are now banned from being performed in our premiere American theater. Those shows, most of which have been performed there in the past, include, KINKY BOOTS. LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, HAIRSPRAY, SAFE SEX, CASA VALENTINA, SPOOKHOUSE, A CATERED AFFAIR, THE SISSY DUCKLING, BELLA BELLA and more. I have been in the struggle for our civil rights for more than 50 years only to watch them snatched away by a man who actually couldn't care less. He does this stuff only to placate the religious right so they'll look the other way as he savages our political system for his own glorification. He attacks free speech He attacks the free press. He attacks America's allies. His only allegiance is to himself - the golden calf. My fellow Americans I warn you - this is NOT how it begins. This is how freedom ENDS! Trump may have declared "woke" as dead in America. We must prove him wrong. WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!"

Harvey Fierstein has used art to uplift, to educate, to protest, to challenge, to speak up and speak out. This is the power and burden of art. It's why those who seek to control and subjugate attempt to erase it. There is courage in creation that those who seek to limit it will never understand.

Keep it up

Please remember that you can't trust any politician who's willing to deny trans people their rights.

That kind of "leader" will throw any and all of us under the bus if they think it benefits them.

New Yorkers, D.R.E.A.M. - Don't Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor.

"A screenshot of an NBC News article headline. The headline reads: 'Texas bill would make identifying as transgender a felony punishable by jail.' Below the headline, a subtext states: 'The bill, while unlikely to pass, highlights the increasing extremism of legislation targeting trans people, especially in Texas, in recent years.' The NBC News logo is visible at the top, along with a navigation bar that includes a 'WATCH' button and a user profile icon."

I need y'all to sit with this headline and understand what is being done to our community. They're trying to criminalize our very existence.

This is a campaign of eradication.

www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/rcna...

She was so lackluster and uninspiring. They have to step up their game!

Every House Republican just voted to defund Medicaid. Reminder: there are no moderate Republicans in Congress, and stop pretending there are.

Yeah same. I know. Sorry you had to go through that kind of fear

I think about this every year actually

Tonight there's millions of queer kids sitting down to watch The Big Game with their families and despising every second of it but having to smile and pretend so no one sees how menaced they feel.

The cover is stunning

live your life in such a way that the entire world doesn't burst out laughing when your pathetic little inauguration gets moved indoors

We Are on Our Own From Marc | Our institutions are not going to save us. Only we can do that.

Each time I have sat down to write something since the election, I am bothered by this recurring phrase that I simply cannot get out of my head.

So, I am going to just say it out loud: we are on our own.
www.democracydocket.com/opinion/we-a...

My favorite Christmas song

Truly, the Best Mashed Potatoes I’ve Ever Had Potatoes and olive oil come together in this simple yet extraordinary dish.

Come see us at Anton’s

Truly, the Best Mashed Potatoes I’ve Ever Had www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/m...

I don't care what TIME says.

MY Person of the Year is Kamala Harris.

TIME got it wrong.

So did America.

BREAKING: Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin KILL Biden nominee for Nat'l Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which would've meant Dem majority till '26

Instead Trump gets to set labor rules

So when EVERYONE in America loses overtime - as Project 2025 promises - thank Sinema and Manchin

“bluesky is an echo chamber” everywhere’s an echo chamber i’m going with the one without cybertruck guys

YOU THOUGHT 😂

A lot of accounts asking for followers but we follow back everyone who asks no matter how long it takes us!

RT and drop a heart if we still need to get you! 💙

💙

Couldn’t be prouder of Derek and his gorgeous new book!

Yesssssssss moar Derek Milman books!! 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Exclusive Cover + Excerpt Reveal: A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman Today on the site I’m thrilled to be revealing the cover for Derek Milman’s upcoming dark academia YA thriller, A Darker Mischief, which releases from Scholastic on July 2, 2024! Here&#…

Sorry for the broken link! COME BACK because you definitely do not want to miss this cover reveal! lgbtqreads.com/2023/09/20/e...