The Keith Edwards Show - We all knew this would happen..

Episode Date: December 23, 2025

Keith Edwards discusses the backlash over CBS News editor Bari Weiss pulling a 60 Minutes segment on El Salvador’s CECOT prison and weighs it alongside Joe Scarborough’s on-air claim that Donald Trump isn’t implicated in the Epstein files.Become a Member: https://www.youtube.com/@keithedwards/joinSubscribe to my Substack: http://keithedwards.substack.comBuy a Democracy Hat: https://keithsdebateclub.com/products/democracy-hatCall me and ask a question or leave a comment: ‪[phone]‬Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekeithedwardsshow/Follow me on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/keithedwards.bsky.socialFollow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@keithedwardsFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithedwards/Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithedwardsFollow me on X: http://twitter.com/keithedwards

They're all bending the knee. CBS, Barry Weiss, MSNBC. I have new reporting now from 60 minutes that says that they had maybe an hour until a story was supposed to air, and I have Barry Weiss's comments that were off the record, that were leaked about that decision. I have Joe Scarborough here saying that Donald Trump isn't implicated in the Epstein files. But what this all is signifying to me is that we cannot trust. the mainstream media anymore as you're going to see. And so we're going to go through these stories, but keep in mind that if you like independent media, please do hit like, subscribe, because the only way we're going to build the defeat fascism and authoritarianism is by getting information out in new areas. So let's start with this. Joe Scarborough was on MS now, sorry, MS now, I keep forgetting it's MS now, where he, I do not understand why he said this, but here's what what he said about Donald Trump's involvement with the Epstein finals. One of the great mysteries to me and a lot of other people is,

we've had reporting for some time. Donald Trump is not on Epstein's list. There's nothing in there that's really damning about Donald Trump. And as Susie Wilde says, not damning about Donald Trump. According to the chief. Or Bill Clinton. So one of the great mysteries all along in this, not been like what's Donald Trump hiding, what did he do, da, da, da, da.

It's like, Why, if he's not in these files, which all the reporting says he's not, why is he so obsessed? Have you seen any reporting that says Donald Trump isn't in the Epstein files? I do this shit for a living. I've never seen that reporting. Never once. Never. That is an insane assertion to make.

We don't know what's in those files. So to say that he's not in them authoritatively is just completely untrue. He does not know that to be true. There's no way we can know for sure. On blocking it. And the only way we can know for sure, sorry, and then we'll keep going, is if they were to release all the files as they're legally supposed to unredacted. Access to the files is he trying to protect somebody?

Joe, you got to the actual heart of the question, and it's actually not been reported. One of the reasons Marjorie Taylor Green got on board with Massey and my effort is she fundamentally believed that Trump was not implicated. Yeah. And she would call the president and say, look, just get these out. I don't know why you're not getting it out.

And she would tell Massey and me, of course he's going to come around. Now, we're going to keep in mind. He said that Marjorie Taylor Green believed that Donald Trump wasn't implicated in the files. She doesn't know that to be true. So again, Joe Scarborough is saying something as fact that we do not know to be true. And even Marjorie Taylor Green, who's closer to this and probably most other people did not know that to be true. She just believed it to be true. Now, my guess is that she probably knows something else.

and that she was playing a game of political chicken. But regardless, she never said on the record that Donald Trump either is or is not in the files. And every press conference we had, we never made it about Donald Trump. We made it about the survivors. The survivors pleaded with Donald Trump. You can be a hero. No previous president has done this, release the files. And what people are asking, and frankly, even I'm asking, is what are they hiding?

Why is it that they're not releasing the draft 60-count indictment when they all? only charged Epstein with two counts. Why aren't they releasing the 82-page prosecution memo of all the implications he had with rich and powerful folks? Why are they protecting this Epstein class? And why? Well, we know why. We all know why. Well, we don't know it to be true. We're not going to be like Joe Scarborough. But certainly, it would make sense that Donald Trump isn't showing those things because his friends are in there and because he's in there. There's truly no other reason that makes sense to me. Now, this is really biting in the Thomas Massey yesterday, who is a Republican, very conservative Republican, created a poll yesterday

said, is Pam Bondi being transparent and complying with the Epstein File Transparency Act by releasing the appropriate and necessary information in 97% of voters said the DOJ is not being transparent. Over 180,000 people voted. This is not going to go away. It's not going to go away. And Pam Bondi might have legal trouble when it comes to her handling of these. files. I just feel like when I hear you talk about inherent contempt or impeachment, I mean, these are words that Democrats have been really careful not to throw around, especially the impeachment

word. It's come up a few times and you've seen leadership walk it back. Why is this time different? And do you have the backing of Democratic leadership to actually push forward with impeachment if it comes to that? Is that the next step when we come back in January? It's different because it's coming from Republicans too. If it was just me out there or Robert Garcia out there would be seen as okay, this is just a Democratic thing. This is going to be Thomas Massey leading it. There are a few Republicans who are on board with it, but we're not going straight to impeachment.

We're starting with contempt, and the idea would be that she'd get a 30-day grace period. By the way, she's already in violation of the law, 30-day grace period to get the documents out. 30-day grace for the sergeant-at-arms detaining and arresting? Because that's what it is. Well, it would be a fine. A fine of up to $5,000 each day she doesn't get these documents out.

My goal is not to destroy Pam Bondi. I didn't even know who Pam Bondi was. I've gotten to know these survivors. And my goal is that on a personal level, these documents need to come out. Yeah, so that's not going to go away. It's only going to get it worse. Pam Bondi is the fall person for the Trump administration and they're handling the files. And another story that's also a sign that the media cannot be trusted is what's happening

with 60 minutes. Now, 60 minutes pulled a segment and we have a correspondent who is now saying that was political call. Now, before we get to this, here is just, this is the teaser they put out about the story before CBS killed it. Here is what the story was about. It began as soon as the planes landed. The deportees thought they were headed from the U.S. back to Venezuela, but instead, they were shackled, paraded in front of cameras, and delivered to Seacot, the notorious maximum security prison in El Salvador, where they told 60 minutes they endured four months of hell. Did you think you were going to die there?

We thought we were already the living dead, honestly. Yeah, so that was a story about the one of the prisons that the Trump administration is sending migrants to, some of whom are here not illegally. They're accidentally sending them to this prison. That's however they're able to talk to one. And Barry Weiss, who is now the new head of CBS News, killed the story. or at least prevented it from coming out. Here's what she said.

My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be holding stories that aren't ready for whatever reason, that they lack sufficient context, say, or that they are missing critical voices. It happens every day in every newsroom. I look forward to airing this important piece when it's ready. Well, the reason why we're learning

is she didn't do that is because she felt like the Trump administration should have had comment in this story when the Trump administration said that they did not want to comment in the piece. So now the Trump administration has a get out of jail free card whenever they want a story on 60 minutes or on CBS to not air, I guess all they have to do is say, well, we don't have a comment.

And if they don't have their side of the story in the story, then I guess Barry Weiss is saying that they're not going to air it. It doesn't make any sense. Now, Barry Weiss, this leaked today, said this. This story presented very powerful testimony of abuse at Seacot. but that story has already been reported on by places like the Times. The public already knows Venezuelans have been subjected to her victim in this prison, she added.

And this is 60 Minutes. We need to be able to make every effort to get the principles on the record and on camera. To me, our viewers come first, not a listing, schedule, or anything else, and that is my North Star. I hope it's a North Star of every person in the newsroom. I guess the story has been out for a while, but certainly I don't remember anyone being interviewed, especially as widespread is a place like 60 minutes.

And I guess one thing that she's done to is that she is, I feel like more emphasis has been put on this than would have ever been on it if they just erred the piece. Like I feel like now whenever this comes out, it's going to, like it's already more news than it would have been if they just let the thing roll and not say anything. But they couldn't do that because Donald Trump gave his instructions. He said, for those people that think I am,

close with the new owners of CBS, please understand that 60 Minutes has treated me far worse since they so-called takeover than they have ever treated me before. If they are friends, I'd hate to see my enemies. She said that six days ago, and wouldn't you know it yesterday, they pulled that piece. And the reason why I was saying that's because Marjorie Taylor Green was recently interviewed on 60 minutes. Ryan Grimm said Barry Weiss is screwed. She called, she stalled this investigation for no real reason. You think Stephen Miller even cares of 60 minutes interviews the people he had tortured, and as a result, has lost any hope of avoiding over the journalist in her newsroom and has lost people on the right who are anti-censorship. Now she'll have to make it up by publishing a few

things that anger the right, including this piece that she has promised to publish. So then she'll have lost the right, the left, and anybody who cares about the integrity of journalism. And I just want to same and end with this. If you've subscribed to Paramount Plus or CBS, I would recommend unsubscribing. One of the reasons why Jimmy Kimmel is still at Disney, or one of the reason why Jimmy Camille is still at ABC is because we all collectively said, we're going to make a decision with our pocketbooks and we're going to cancel Disney Plus. And Disney saw that and they kept Jimmy on because they knew it would cost them more for him to leave than for him to stay. We had to do the same thing here.

If you're subscribed to CBS or Paramount Plus, consider I'm subscribing because, one, your money can be better spent somewhere else that isn't funding propaganda, and two, it's the only way that these people wake up is when we hurt them with their pocket or hurt them in their wallets. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you soon. Bye.