Universal Processing Celebrates Grand Opening of New Headquarters, Reinforcing Commitment to Empowering Underserved Businesses
The theme of the night was 'Brick by Brick', a celebration of the people and partnerships that have shaped the company's journey. uP was proud to host many of the people who have been integral to the company's success, and were honored that some of New York's most well-known and influential politicians stopped by the event to make speeches.
[ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_001.jpg ]
Image 1
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_001full.jpg
Former Governor George Pataki had this to say about uP's contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic: 'I want to thank Universal Processing, because without what you did during that terrible time, many of the businesses that New York counts on wouldn't be here today.'
It was an honor for uP to be recognized by the former governor, as during the pandemic - when Asian-owned businesses across the city were hit hardest - uP stepped in as a lifeline. The company offered multilingual support, financial relief, PPE, and digital tools to help stabilize their communities.
[ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_002.jpg ]
Image 2
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_002full.jpg
Former Governor David Patterson also stopped by to applaud uP founder and CEO, Saint Hung: 'For the leadership and all that you have done, for the efforts you waged, and your expansion of concepts that I think is bringing more business to the area and to areas around here…you've done a marvelous job and we look forward to bigger and better things.'
[ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_003.jpg ]
Image 3
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_003full.jpg
New York State Senator Stephen Chan crafted a powerful metaphor for Hung's leadership of the company: 'Everybody here is a cog in this timepiece and everybody must be in their place and work in order for our community, our society, our city to tick,' said Mr. Chan. 'Saint is the driving force in that timepiece. He is the conductor of this symphony, and if everybody plays their part correctly, that's what is going to make it sound good. That's what is going to make it beautiful.'
'Saint Hung is committed to growing small and medium-sized businesses in New York,' said Chairman of the New York State Republican Party, Ed Cox. 'These new headquarters in New York City are about the growth of Universal Processing and about Mr. Hung's and Universal Processing's commitment to New York City. Thank you Mr. Hung.'
In a surprise move, New York State Assemblymember Lester Chang awarded Universal Processing with a New York State Assembly Citation. 'I applaud you because you had the foresight, vision, and optimism to create this business,' said Assemblymember Chang. 'Writing a citation for me is easy, but earning a citation is the real work.'
[ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_004.jpg ]
Image 4
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/257542_14982db4c41bc9e5_004full.jpg
'We know in New York State that it's the small businesses that are the economic engine that drive this great state,' said New York State Assemblymember Al Taylor, 'so thank you for investing, thank you for being a risk taker.'
As uP continues to be recognized for its achievements in the fintech space and expand its service offerings, the company remains focused on its mission to democratize access to fintech solutions, helping more businesses move 'uP'.
The new headquarters in Times Square marks a significant milestone in this journey, providing a platform for continued growth and impact. It is also particularly meaningful to founder and CEO Saint Hung, whose father - an architect - worked on Philip Johnson's Times Square Redevelopment Project in 1989. 'For me to come back here and stake my claim to Times Square, it's been an effort 36 years in the making,' said Hung.
For media inquiries, event details, or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Yin Yu
uP PR Team
[email protected]
About Universal Processing
Universal Processing is an award-winning fintech and payment solutions provider, specializing in serving underserved businesses and partner channels with full-service payment processing. As a certified Minority-Owned Business, uP is committed to providing transparent, secure, and scalable payment solutions with 24/7 multilingual support. Learn more at www.letsgoup.com.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257542
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Refinery29
an hour ago
- Refinery29
A Week In Houston, TX On A $170,000 Joint Income
Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. Today: a business analyst who has a $170,000 joint income and who spends some of her money this week on Kurtis Conner comedy show tickets. I f you'd like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we're not able to reply to every email. Occupation: Business analyst Industry: Oil and gas Age: 28 Location: Houston, TX Salary: $90,000 Joint Income & Finances Setup: $170,000 ($90,000 from me and $80,000 from my husband, P.). I just started my job about a month ago. Prior to that, I was on a break for about three years to work on my mental health. During that time, P. supported the family solely on his income. However, now that I have a job again, we split the finances 50/50 (if it seems like P. pays more monthly that's only because I pick up the tab on other occasions like when we eat out or get coffee, which is a lot). Currently, this is what works for us, but if that ever changes, then we will adjust our finances. Assets: We purchased our home in 2020 when the interest rate was incredibly low because of COVID-19 (they practically gave us the house). The current value of the home is $400,000, and we purchased it at $330,000. We put 5% down and have an interest rate of 2.5%. Currently, we own approximately 20% of the home while the bank owns the rest. We each own our own cars which in total value about $8,000; they are both old cars that have a lot of mileage on them, but at the very least, we don't have to make any car payments. My car itself is only worth $1,000 in the market. I've had it since I was in high school at 17, so I have a lot of sentimental attachment to the car. I do want to purchase a new car in 2026 or 2027 depending on how we are financially. Neither of us have any savings or retirement savings (we're really living on the edge here). Debt: $7,000 owed to parents (saved me from racking up that much in credit card debt). My parents saved me from going into further credit card debit while I was on my personal health break. During this time, I depleted all my savings and retirement accounts and went into credit card debt. However, I was fortunate enough to have parents that were willing to bail me out. Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): $2,800 Pronouns: She/her Monthly Expenses Housing Costs: Our mortgage is $2,000 per month which we split evenly between the two of us. Currently, my younger brother lives with us while he is attending university, but we do not charge him rent. We would only charge him rent if he had a full-time job, but he plans to move back in with my parents once he does find a job. Additionally, there is a high property tax that we pay annually, approximately 5% of our home's value. This is lumped into our escrow, but will be moved out soon due to the fact that we own 20% of our home. So in the upcoming year, 2026, I expect to pay a high property tax bill with a lowered overall mortgage. Loan Payments: $1,000 to my parents. HOA: $142 Car Insurance: $42 Electricity: P. pays approximately $200 (depending on the month). Water: $0 (lumped in with our HOA). Internet: P. pays $150. Gas: $35 Phone: On my family's plan still (very blessed). Costco: P. pays $14. Amazon Prime: Mooch off a friend (again, very blessed). iCloud Storage: $0.90 All Other Subscriptions: $0 (purged these once I started to clean up my debt). Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Yes, coming from a traditional Asian household, there was always an expectation that I would pursue higher education. My parents did not pressure me to pursue medical school, but there were definitely expectations from my extended family. However, contrary to everyone's expectations, I chose construction management as my major. During my construction management courses, I was required to take accounting classes and I instantly fell in love. I genuinely enjoyed accounting in school and graduated with an accounting degree. I spent three and a half years in school while also doing summer internships, so I was able to pay for a semester of school; my parents paid for the other three years. I went to the local university and commuted from home in order to save money, but nonetheless, I am fortunate enough to have parents who invested in my education, and I am extremely grateful. I spent about three years working in accounting in many different environments, but none of them made me happy. At my last accounting job, I succumbed to burn out and was incredibly depressed that my career wasn't 'working out'. I decided to quit and take a break. That break ended up lasting three years, but it was well worth it. Now, I've pivoted my career to business analytics, and I am enjoying it so far. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances? Growing up, we were always a low-income family. We never took vacations, only ate at home, and the biggest expense was probably the general cost of living. So I was always keenly aware that we had no money. From that, my parents never taught me anything about finances other than 'don't spend money'. I didn't learn about finances until I had my first office job and was making adult money. I watched a million YouTube videos to learn about personal finance. I would say I have decent knowledge on personal finance, but overall, have nothing to show for it because I blew through my savings during my three-year break, lol. What was your first job and why did you get it? I got my first job at 17, against my parents' will, as a bagger at the local grocery store. My parents were concerned I would lose focus from school if I had a job, but I desperately wanted autonomy from my parents and wanted to make spending decisions on my own that I wouldn't regret, like treating myself to Starbucks. Granted, I did treat myself out a lot, so I can't say it wasn't all regretful. However, working retail from a young age taught me a lot about money and how hard it is to actually make money. I learned that I did not like retail and needed a cushy office job to function. So, by the time I was in college, I spent a lot of time pursuing internships. Luckily, I was able to complete three internships while I was in college which helped me pay for a semester of schooling. Did you worry about money growing up? Yes, very much so. I was always aware of how little money we had as a family because my parents always complained about it to us. I don't believe that's the best way to raise kids because it puts a lot of pressure on them to essentially find a way to survive at an early age. You start to think as a kid well if I do this, then we can get money or if I don't do this, then we can save money. It's a lot to think about at an early age and definitely impacts the way you are once you are older. Do you worry about money now? Yes, very much so. I wasn't worried about it when I was on my three-year break because I was so focused on my mental health and basically surviving that I had to just forgo the thought of money. Of course, that meant I depleted my savings and dove right into credit card debt, but once the anti depressants started working, I was back to my 'old' self. I was able to function again and was then concerned about my pressing finances. Luckily, I had nice parents to bail me out, but I am aware that not everyone has that. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net? I became financially responsible for myself once I moved out of my parents home at 23. At that age, my relationship with my now husband was pretty steady and we both agreed that we needed a space of our own. So without telling my parents, I packed up all my things and left. They were heartbroken and had this expectation that I would essentially live with them forever. But I set that boundary and told them that I needed space to grow. This led to many improvements in my relationship with my parents, and I don't regret that decision at all. I know there's always a place I can go back to, but I am also strong enough to stand on my own two feet. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. No, however, my parents own their home and plan on leaving it to my brother and I once they pass. This will amount to approximately $100,000, which is the closest thing I have to an inheritance. I plan to use most of that money for their funeral expenses and potentially save any remaining. My grandparents on my dad's side have already passed and they did not leave anything behind. My grandparents on my mother's side plan to leave everything to my uncle. I am appreciative of anything that I will receive from my parents upon their passing. I don't expect anything from them because they have helped me so much thus far in life. Day One: Monday 8 a.m. — I get up and record my daily vlog. (This is something I edit every night and put together to upload onto all my social medias. I realized after a friend moved away that they didn't really know what was going on in my life on a day-to-day basis, so I started the vlogs as a way to share that. Now, I just enjoy documenting my life. It's been a joy sharing aspects of my life with my friends and family.) I pop my antidepressants on the way to work. I feel invigorated because it's the beginning of the week, and the antidepressants are working overtime as I make the 20-minute commute to the office. I'm officially ready to start my week! 8:30 a.m. — I buy some yogurt, pretzels, and hummus as a morning snack from the office cafeteria. This is starting to become a routine thing. $8.10 12 p.m. — I buy lunch at the office cafeteria; Thai curry chicken. It is not very good and I don't even finish it. Sadness. $14.06 5:30 p.m. — I clock out for the day, record a snip for my vlog, and take the 20-minute drive back home. 6 p.m. — I go to Costco to get my mom a Mother's Day gift. She said she wanted a gift card to a restaurant from Costco because it was a good value. She's not wrong: Girl Math is saving $20 from spending $80 to get a $100 gift card. $79.99 6:30 p.m. — Once I'm home, I help my husband P. out by feeding our cat, O. He feeds our dogs, C. and A. I give P. my leftovers from today's lunch, but he, too, doesn't like them. We spend the night eating Trader Joe's frozen foods. 7 p.m. — One of our friends set up a server in a game called Palworld. We spend the rest of the night grinding out some hours in Palworld and just having some fun. I could spend hours talking about games that I play, but for the sake of this activity, I will spare the readers from the boredom and lack of relevance. 11 p.m. — I crawl into bed and unwind with some light reading on my phone. I'm currently reading a Korean novel called Trash of the Count's Family. It's in a genre called Izekai, where the main protagonist gets transported into a different world. It's a fun read, but I quickly knock out. Daily Total: $102.15 Day Two: Tuesday 8 a.m — I start the day in a similar fashion. I get up, record my daily vlog, and pop my antidepressants on the way to work. 8:30 a.m. — Another day, another morning snack. I grab two kolaches and a muffin from the office cafeteria. I wished they expensed the food here! $7.12 12 p.m. — I plow through my morning meetings and decide that I don't need lunch today since I had a big breakfast. Grind through lunch. 4:30 p.m. — Finally ready to leave the office; snap a quick video for the vlog, then head out. 5 p.m. — Drive through Raising Canes to pick up food for P., my younger brother, and myself. Not the healthiest, but definitely the weakest hitting on my wallet. $37.31 7 p.m. — We go to the movie theater to watch Sinners with a friend. It's a great movie with an amazing message on race. I'm in awe of the fun that I had watching the film. Would definitely recommend it to others. P. pays for the movie and movie snacks. 9 p.m. — We go to the local pub right by the movie theater to discuss the film. We chat about life and generally have a good time. P. pays for his drink and our friend's drink. I don't drink, so I just opt for some water. 11 p.m. — Wind down with some more Trash then promptly knock out to dream about Sinners. Daily Total: $44.43 Day Three: Wednesday 9 a.m. — Hurray for hybrid schedules: I get to work from home today, so I wake up and immediately jump into my meetings. They last about two hours. 12 p.m. — I grind through lunch and just power through the rest of the work day. It feels not too bad because I get to hang out with my dogs while I work. 6 p.m. — I drive to the local crane game arcade that just opened up by my place! I'm really excited about this place and have been visiting it weekly for some relaxation. Get some cute trinkets! I'm going to put them on my work desk tomorrow to show off my prized possessions! $34.62 7 p.m. — P. orders dinner for the family — boba and snacks. We really enjoy boba in our household. 11 p.m. — Wind down from the day. Daily Total: $34.62 Day Four: Thursday 8 a.m. — Back to the office, so back to my regular routine. Wake up, record the vlog, pop the antidepressants, and head out for work. 8:30 a.m. — More yogurt, pretzels, and hummus. As I am filling this out, I am wondering if this is a necessary expense or if I should just wholesale purchase yogurt, pretzels, and hummus. But there is something so nice about not having to think in the mornings. $8.10 12 p.m. — I buy the cheapest thing in the office cafeteria, which is also probably the best thing that they have: chicken tenders and fries. Totally worth it. Had enough to bring home leftovers for P. $9.73 4 p.m. — I leave the office a little early today because I have plans for the night and want to make sure I'm ready to go. 7 p.m. — Go out to eat with a friend at a local sushi spot. My cousin works at the sushi restaurant, so he discounts our meal and gives us extra helpings! So kind of him. I added a high tip, but he refused it :($41.60 8:30 p.m. — Take my friend to the local crane game arcade! Have to let another person know about my obsession with the place. Win some more cute trinkets and a bag charm to put on my work bag. My desk is probably one of the cutest in the office :) $36.23 10 p.m. — Get home and am tired from spending the long day out. Immediately knock out once I get ready for bed. Daily Total: $95.66 Day Five: Friday 9 a.m. — Wake up and jump straight into my morning meetings. They end up lasting a little longer than usual, but I don't mind it because I'm still learning the processes. 11:30 a.m. — Convinced P. to go get a drink and snack with me at our local coffee shop (P. works from home full time, so we get to spend Wednesdays and Fridays working together). We buy two drinks and four pastries. $33.98 5 p.m. — Finish all the remaining work items that I have left and promptly clock out! It feels like a productive week and that I accomplished a lot. 7 p.m. — I do a painting activity called Fluid Bear where you mix paint and pour it onto a plastic bear to create a fluid pattern on it (I booked two classes for P. and me, and paid for them last week). We make the bears as gifts for my niece and nephew and are proud of the results — I would include a photo if I could, they turned out cuter than expected! 8:30 p.m. — We visit the in-laws and have dinner with them. We catch up on our week, how we've been since we last saw each other, and anything fun that we have done recently. It's always nice to see my in-laws; they're good people and have always been extremely welcoming. We are fortunate enough that both our families currently live in Houston, so we try to visit them on a biweekly basis. 10 p.m. — Go home and wind down from the day. I do a bit of light reading before I fall asleep. Daily Total: $33.98 Day Six: Saturday 12 p.m. — It's finally the weekend, so I get to sleep in! I don't leave the house until noon, when I need to go out to get gas. It kills me, but there's no way to get around the city other than with a car. It could honestly be worse, so I shouldn't complain too much. $31.52 1 p.m. — P. and I stop in at a local coffee shop to get some afternoon coffees (he pays). We visit a few boutiques searching for a Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law, but we don't find anything that stands out to us. We stop at a wine bar that's near one of the boutiques and settle for a bottle of wine as a gift. It's not an original idea, but it was one of the only things we could agree on. Overall, a pretty successful afternoon. 4 p.m. — I drop P. off at home and get ready for my Bumble BFF date. It's hard to make friends as an adult, so I joined Bumble BFF to make some friends. Every now and then, this will manifest into an actual meetup, so I get to leave the house and meet with someone and just hang and talk. From the app, I have made at least five friends, so I would say it's not so bad. It's definitely still difficult and requires a lot of time and effort, but with enough dedication, you can certainly make friends off the app (this is not a sponsored ad). I will also say, it's not for everyone. 5 p.m. — I meet my new friend at a ramen shop and we get two bowls of ramen, two appetizers, and two drinks (we split the bill evenly). We chat about ourselves and life in general. My new friend is nice and reminds me greatly of another friend, so much so that I start to miss her, so after dinner, I call said friend and ask, 'Are you currently doing anything; can I come over?', to which she replies with, 'Of course!' I am extremely grateful for the people in my life. $35.02 7 p.m. — I meet up with my friend and we yap and yap and yap for about three hours straight. We catch up on life, spill some tea, discuss baby things (she recently gave birth), and share excitement over an upcoming concert that we are going to see. It's a wonderful night, and I'm glad I'm able to see her. 11 p.m. — Drive through In-N-Out on the way home to grab my brother and me some burgers and animal-style fries (you can never go wrong with animal-style fries). I make it home and instantly knock out after eating. $26.30 Daily Total: $92.84 Day Seven: Sunday 12 p.m. — Sundays are fundays. I get up and buy seven breakfast tacos for myself, P., my friend W., and W.'s sister. Overall, to feed four people with $28 is a steal in this economy. I visit W. first thing in the afternoon and stay with her and her sister just chatting for hours on end. It may seem like I do this a lot, and I would say that I have started to go out more, but I'm making a big effort to keep in touch with my friends, especially since two of my friends moved away to NYC last year. Sometimes, I just feel a little lonely, and other times, it feels like my life is full of social interactions; it's a balance that I'm learning to make. $28.04 4 p.m. — After we chat for a while, I head home. I have a bit of down time before our dinner plans, so I'm scrolling on the gram when I come across Kurtis Conner's comedy tour. I buy front-row seats to the show for P. and me. A splurge for sure, but we don't get to go to shows often, so I feel that it's pretty worth it. $185.82 5 p.m. — P. and I meet up with some friends for dim sum. He pays for the bill and everyone zelles him for their portion. Everyone is disappointed with how the dim sum tastes, so we decide to grab another bite. We go to a pizza parlor that stays open a little later. We get pizza, root beer, and wings. It's a wonderful time filled with chatter. 11 p.m. — We don't get home until late, but it's well worth it. Afterwards, I sleep off my week of activities. Daily Total: $213.86 The Breakdown Conclusion 'It was fun to track my spending during this diary! It also helped that I had recorded daily vlogs, so I could easily remember how certain days went. I have a tendency to forget what I do on a day-to-day basis — this happens because the day seems to go by so fast! There's so much to do and so much that I am learning, whether it be about work or social life. I think it's the antidepressants talking, but when I look back on my week, I feel a sense of contentment like I really did enjoy my time. I'm figuring out how to strike a balance between work and life as I navigate working full time again. Overall, I don't have any regrets with how much I spent over the week. Although, I will be cutting back from eating at the office cafeteria because I have this itching suspicion that the food there is making my skin break out.'
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
China using TikTok as a pawn to squeeze Trump in trade talks: sources
President Trump recently said he found a buyer for TikTok, the controversial Chinese-owned short-video app but his real problem is with the seller, On The Money has learned. TikTok is being used as a pawn in the US-Chinese trade negotiations by Beijing, which knows that Trump wants the app to remain operating in the US, according to people with knowledge of the matter. There will be no sale of TikTok to American investors — a move that is needed to conform to a US law that bans the app from operating domestically — until Chinese President Xi Jinping is confident he has extracted as much as he can in terms of a favorable trade deal with the White House, these people add. Chinese President Xi Jinping will extract as much as he can in terms of a favorable trade deal with the White House, sources told On The Money.. Jack Forbes/NY Post Design 'Trump still doesn't have a seller,' is how one person involved in the talks described the situation. The problem, the source said, is that 'Xi is a no-show' in putting TikTok front and center in the broader trade talks, at least up to this point. Which is why bankers and investors involved in the TikTok dealmaking who keep tabs on the trade machinations were more than a little perplexed when Trump, appearing on Fox News on Sunday, said: 'We have a buyer for TikTok. … I'll tell you in two weeks.' He added that China will 'probably' allow the sale to 'very, very wealthy people. It's a group of wealthy people.' Having 'very wealthy people' willing to step up and buy TikTok is nothing new. In April, a group of wealthy investors and tech honchos were poised to place a bid with the Chinese to buy the US based operations until Trump launched a trade war against Beijing, hitting China with 145% tariffs on imported goods. Trump has been seeking a solution since returning to the White House, issuing a series of executive orders to keep the TikTok ban from going into effect. AP That number has since been lowered as both sides negotiate other trade issues as part of a broader deal. As for buyers, this person said either tech giant Oracle, co-founded by Trump pal Larry Ellison, the previous investor group, or a combination of both would be interested in taking a controlling stake in TikTok's US operations and stop it from going dark. In 2024, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers, fearful that the Chinese use TikTok to spy on US citizens, passed legislation, signed by former President Biden, that the company would cease operating on US app stores unless the Chinese gave up control of the platform. The ban was to go into effect Jan. 19, the day before Trump's inauguration. Trump once wanted TikTok banned but became a fan after the 2024 election, where he believed pro-Trump spots on the app helped him win over younger voters, which represent the majority of TikTok's users. He has been seeking a solution since returning to the White House, issuing a series of executive orders to keep the ban from going into effect despite prominent Republicans arguing that the law is still being flouted by Trump's delaying tactics and even the latest deal iteration. Under the terms of the last negotiated deal, the Chinese wanted a minority stake in the new US-investor controlled company and continued ownership of TikTok's crown jewel – its technology, the algorithm that funnels videos based on preferences to users, which lawmakers claim is used to spy on US citizens. The Chinese have long denied the spying issue, but US lawmakers remain concerned that majority US control still doesn't provide enough protection from alleged spycraft. That's one reason it took so long to come up with a structure that satisfied all the competing constituencies, and why even after finding a buyer that appeals to the seller, TikTok might still be banned in the coming months unless Trump issues yet another extension after the current one expires in mid-September.
Atlantic
an hour ago
- Atlantic
Welcome to the Mafia Presidency
Theoretically, it's illegal for the president to accept or solicit bribes. The plain language of the statute is perfectly clear: It is a crime for a public official to seek or receive 'anything of value' in return for 'being influenced in the performance of any official ac t.' The prohibition applies whether the public official seeks or receives the bribe personally or on behalf of 'any other person or entity.' As I said: theoretically. On Tuesday, the media-and-entertainment conglomerate Paramount announced a $16 million payment to President Donald Trump's future presidential library. The payment settled a lawsuit that Trump had filed against the Paramount-owned broadcaster CBS because he was unhappy with the way the network had edited an election-season interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump's lawsuit was about as meritless as a lawsuit can be, for reasons I'll explain shortly. If CBS were a freestanding news organization, it would have fought the case and won. But like the Disney-owned network ABC, which also paid off Trump for an almost equally frivolous lawsuit, CBS belongs to a parent corporation with regulatory business before Trump-appointed agencies. Paramount is pursuing an $8 billion merger that requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission. In November 2024, then-incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned that merger approval would depend on satisfying Trump's claims against CBS. Carr told the Fox News interviewer Dana Perino, 'I'm pretty confident that that news-distortion complaint over the 60 Minutes transcript is something that is likely to arise in the context of the FCC review of that transaction.' 'News-distortion complaint?' What's that? Nearly a century ago, in 1927, Congress empowered a new Federal Radio Commission to police the accuracy of news broadcasts. In the preceding decades, the airwaves had become a chaos of transmissions interfering with one another. The right to use any particular frequency was a valuable concession from the federal government, the owner on the public's behalf of the nation's airwaves. Congress felt that it could impose conditions in return for such concessions. One condition was a duty to meet public-interest standards in broadcast content, which included giving equal time to opposing political candidates in an election. In 1934, the Federal Radio Commission evolved into the Federal Communications Commission. As television technology spread, so did the FCC's ambition to police the new medium, resulting in 1949 with its power to compel the fairness doctrine on ' all discussion of issues of importance to the public.' The fact that opinions can differ about what counts as 'accuracy' and what counts as 'distortion' rapidly became obvious. Government efforts to police the boundary between fair reporting and unfair scurrility create conflicts with First Amendment rights. For print media, the courts have been very clear: Editing, even arguably unfair editing, is protected free speech, subject only to the laws of defamation. In the 1960s and '70s, the FCC groped its way toward a similar rule for broadcast media. Interestingly, some of the crucial milestones involved CBS News. In the early days of color television, CBS News pioneered the use of aggressive editing to tell powerful stories in dramatic ways. In 1971, for example, CBS broadcast a documentary, The Selling of the Pentagon, that accused the Department of Defense of manipulating public opinion. To amplify the argument, the producers cut and reassembled questions and answers. Some of the affected individuals filed complaints against CBS, and the matter was taken up by members of Congress. Yet the FCC declined to get involved in the case on free-speech grounds. Before the end of the first Nixon administration, the FCC had generated a series of precedents that more or less nullified the agency's Calvin Coolidge–era status as a monitor of broadcast accuracy and a potential censor. The whole issue soon became moot, because the FCC had no jurisdiction over cable television or the internet. As Americans drew more of their information from sources outside the FCC's domain, the very idea of content regulation by the agency came to seem absurd to all parties, including the FCC itself. Who would think of invoking a doctrine that originated in 1927 to police speech in the 21st century? Then came Trump and the loyalty-above-law appointees of his second term. Evident from the Trump legal filing against CBS is that not even the president's own lawyers took his complaint seriously. Three whopping clues give away the game about the filing's farcicality. The first is where the lawsuit was brought: the Amarillo division of the U.S. district court for the northern district of Texas. CBS is not domiciled in Amarillo. Neither is Trump or Harris or any person significantly connected with the 60 Minutes segment. What is located in Amarillo is America's premier pick for right-wing forum-shopping, a practice criticized not only by liberal counterparties but also, at least implicitly, by The Wall Street Journal and National Review. Amarillo is the court where a partisan-conservative plaintiff goes with a case that would be summarily thrown out elsewhere. The next clue is the language of the filing, which reads like direct dictation from the president: As President Trump stated, and as made crystal clear in the video he referenced and attached, 'A giant Fake News Scam by 60 Minutes & CBS. Her REAL ANSWER WAS CRAZY, OR DUMB, so they actually REPLACED it with another answer in order to save her or, at least, make her look better. A FAKE NEWS SCAM, which is totally illegal. TAKE AWAY THE CBS LICENSE. Election interference. She is a Moron, and the Fake News Media wants to hide that fact. AN UNPRECEDENTED SCANDAL!!! The Dems got them to do this and should be forced to concede the election? WOW!' See President Donald J. Trump, TRUTH SOCIAL (Oct. 10, 2024). And so on, through 65 paragraphs of irrelevant name-calling and Trump-quoting obsequiousness. The final clue lies in the carelessness of the complaint's quoted sources, two of which actually argue against the Trump claim. A cited law-review article concluded that 'the reinvented news distortion doctrine would undermine the very democratic norms marshaled in its defense.' Similarly, an FCC decision referenced found against taking action (in another case involving CBS)—explicitly on free-speech grounds: 'In this democracy, no government agency can authenticate the news, or should try to do so.' One has to wonder whether Trump's lawyers even read the texts they cited. The complaint's flimsy legal basis—including Trump's claim of standing under a Texas consumer-protection law—indicates its pure-nuisance quality. And yet, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a case that it could almost certainly have won for a fraction of the price. U.S. law forbids both accepting a bribe and soliciting a bribe, yet they're not exactly the same offense. There is an important difference between a police officer who takes money to let a criminal escape and a police officer who uses the threat of arrest to extort money from an innocent citizen. Paramount did not come up with the idea to pay Trump $16 million; Trump decided to squeeze Paramount for the money. What's going on here is extortion—and it does not get any less extortionate for being laundered through Trump's hypothetical future library. A systematic pattern has emerged: shakedowns of law firms, business corporations, and media companies for the enrichment of Trump, his family, and his political allies. Every time targets yield, they create an incentive for Trump to repeat the shakedown on another victim.
