• by Ray Schultz , February 26, 2024

CBS News has returned several boxes of notes and documents to investigative reporter Catherine Herridge, which it seized following her layoff earlier this month. 

The unprecedented seizure was seen by many as “an attack on free press principles by one of the nation’s most esteemed press organizations,” The Hill wrote last week. 

The documents included files, computers and information on privileged sources, according to The Hill. 

Conservative observers argue that Herridge had been covering the Hunter Biden laptop story. 

The SAG-AFTRA union approved of the return, saying: “We welcome CBS News' reversal which came after SAG-AFTRA's intervention and widespread media coverage that underscored shared concerns about press freedom and the First Amendment.”

SAG-AFTRA continues, “The resolution of this matter sends a strong message of protection for basic First Amendment principles. We further hope the public focus now turns to SAG-AFTRA's continued efforts to support a Press Shield law that provides additional federal protections for journalists and their confidential sources.”