Tortious Interference

Tortious interference is the law’s phrase for meddling in the contracts or relationships of others. Unlike defamation, it is not about truth or falsehood but about disruption.

https://clip.cafe/e/36578 Tortious Interference or see full clip on dailymotion

Script and commentary on blcklst.com

INT. CBS, HEWITT'S OFFICE - DAY LOWELL What now? DON HEWITT Kluster's coming over. Hewitt's on an unrelated call. Lowell crosses to look out the window, a manila folder (the filing) under his arm with whatever he found out, like a bomb, feels distant from these people. The door opens, and Eric Kluster, the President of CBS News enters... ERIC KLUSTER Hello, Lowell, Mike, Don. Hewitt hangs up the phone. ERIC KLUSTER (CONT'D) There has been so much soul searching about this Wigand, I've decided we should cut an alternate version of the show without his interview. LOWELL So, what happened to Ms. Caperelli's checking with outside counsel first, all that crap? ERIC KLUSTER That's happening. And, hopefully we won't have to use the alternate, but we should have it in the can. LOWELL I'm not touching my film... ERIC KLUSTER I'm afraid you are. LOWELL No, I'm not... ERIC KLUSTER We're doing this with or without you, Lowell. If you like, I can assign another producer to edit your show... Lowell's stunned. He looks like he's been hit with a hammer... LOWELL Since when has the paragon of investigative journalism allowed lawyers to determine the news content on "60 Minutes"? DON HEWITT It's an alternate version. So what if we have an alternate version? And I don't think her being cautious is so damned unreasonable. ERIC KLUSTER (wry) So, now, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, Mr. Rather's been complaining about his chair again. (laughter) As they start to leave... LOWELL (mild) Before you go... And Lowell takes out... LOWELL (CONT'D) I discovered this. SEC filing... (he gets their attention) For the sale of the CBS Corporation to Westinghouse Corporation. MIKE WALLACE What? DON HEWITT Yeah, I heard rumors. LOWELL It's not a rumor. It's a sale. (rhetorical answer) If Tisch can unload CBS for $81 a share to Westinghouse and then is suddenly threatened with a multibillion-dollar lawsuit from Brown & Williamson, that could screw up the sale, could it not? ERIC KLUSTER (serene) And what are you implying? LOWELL (to Kluster) I'm not implying. I'm quoting. More vested interests... (reading from SEC filing) "Persons Who Will Profit From This Merger... (beat) Ms. Helen Caperelli, General Counsel of CBS News, 3.9 million. Mr. Eric Kluster, President of CBS News, 1.4 million..." DON HEWITT Are you suggesting that she and Eric are influenced by money? LOWELL Oh, no, of course they're not influenced by money. They work for free. And you are a Volunteer Executive Producer. DON HEWITT CBS does not do that. And, you're questioning our journalistic integrity?! LOWELL No, I'm questioning your hearing! You hear "reasonable" and "tortious interference." I hear... "Potential Brown & Williamson lawsuit jeopardizing the sale of CBS to Westinghouse." I hear... "Shut the segment down. Cut Wigand loose. Obey orders. And fuck off...!" That's what I hear. DON HEWITT You're exaggerating! LOWELL I am? You pay me to go get guys like Wigand, to draw him out. To get him to trust us, to get him to go on television. I do. I deliver him. He sits. He talks. He violates his own fucking confidentiality agreement. And he's only the key witness in the biggest public health reform issue, maybe the biggest, most-expensive corporate-malfeasance case in U.S. history. And Jeffrey Wigand, who's out on a limb, does he go on television and tell the truth? Yes. Is it newsworthy? Yes. Are we gonna air it? Of course not. Why? Because he's not telling the truth? No. Because he is telling the truth. That's why we're not going to air it. And the more truth he tells, the worse it gets! DON HEWITT You are a fanatic. An anarchist. You know that? If we can't have a whole show, then I want half a show rather than no show. But oh, no, not you. You won't be satisfied unless you're putting the company at risk! LOWELL C'mon, what are you? And are you a businessman? Or are you a newsman?! Because that happens to be what Mike and I do for a living... MIKE WALLACE Lowell. LOWELL (runs on) "Put the corporation at risk"...? Give me a fucking break! MIKE WALLACE Lowell. LOWELL These people are putting our whole reason for doing what we do...on the line! MIKE WALLACE Lowell! LOWELL What? MIKE WALLACE I'm with Don on this. And there it is.