The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a criminal investigation in relation to the unauthorised dissemination of exclusive footage involving Tucker Carlson, an erstwhile Fox News presenter, to the media. The DOJ, in an official letter, acknowledged the initiation of this probe earlier this week, thereby confirming Fox News' potential status as a 'victim-witness' in the ongoing investigation.
Roger Handberg, US Attorney, alongside Assistant US Attorney Jay Trezevant, brought the news of this investigation to Fox News. According to the contents of the letter, the DOJ is currently investigating the possibility of criminal activities which include, but are not limited to, unauthorised access of a computer and intentional eavesdropping and revealing of wire, oral, or electronic communication.
Following Carlson's dismissal from Fox News in April, Media Matters, a progressive watchdog organisation, revealed exclusive footage showcasing Carlson engaging in inappropriate conversations and expressing disparaging remarks about the Fox Nation streaming platform. In retaliation, Fox News issued a stringent 'cease-and-desist' notice to Media Matters in early May, objecting to the publication of this 'unlawfully obtained' footage.
Media Matters, however, stood by their decision to disclose the footage. Their defence hinged on the assertion that the organisation was merely "reporting on newsworthy leaked material," a practice integral to journalism. The organization didn't stop the publication of further leaked footage involving Carlson, despite the explicit demand from Fox News.
In the letter issued to Fox News, the DOJ confirmed the direct relation between its criminal investigation and the leaked footage disseminated by Media Matters. Additionally, the probe was associated with another leaked video released by Vice News, featuring unreleased content from an interview between Carlson and Kanye West.
In response to the DOJ's statement, Media Matters restated its commitment to reporting on material of public interest. Vice News, however, refrained from issuing any comment on the matter. Meanwhile, the DOJ reassured the publishers of the leaked videos that the ongoing investigation wasn't implying any misconduct on their part.
The first to report on the federal probe, the Tampa Bay Times disclosed that a search warrant had been executed by the FBI on the residence of Timothy Burke, a prominent ex-journalist who now runs his own media consultancy firm. Although the DOJ's letter to Fox News did not include any mention of Burke, Mark Rasch, his attorney and a former federal cybersecurity prosecutor, confirmed the execution of the FBI's search warrant on Burke's residence. Rasch also confirmed that his client categorically denies any criminal wrongdoing.
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host at the centre of this controversy, declined to issue a comment regarding the ongoing investigation. Similarly, the FBI opted to remain silent on the matter.
