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December 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) –  Leaked recordings of internal CNN editorial conference calls reveal that the news organization discussed “not giving Trump too much of a platform on his not conceding” the 2020 election in order to help assist a Biden transition to the presidency.

Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe announced yesterday that he and his organization had been accessing and taping the calls yesterday, while he livestreamed a phone conference of top CNN executives.

In the first clip, CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel can be heard arguing that CNN should minimize Trump’s “platform” to assist a Biden administration transition at the behest of other politicians. 

“I just keep hearing the same thing both from Republicans who have not come out to congratulate Biden, but also to those who have, and Democrats and that is that we have to be, you know, news organizations have to be very careful and very responsible about not giving Trump too much of a platform on his not conceding, because they feel the transition can go forward,” she said. CNN president Jeffrey Zucker responded that he “agreed.” 

Producer Stephanie Becker then implied that not helping the Biden transition team “get going right” could lead to a disaster like the terrorist attacks of September 11. Becker said, “if you want a good concrete example of what happens when you don't have a good transition, well, look at the twin towers.” Zucker affirmed this as well, telling those on the call “to think about, you know, that 9/11 Commission Reportand the lack of transition.” 

In another call from October 9, Zucker ordered colleagues to attack President Trump, saying that the president “is all over the place and acting erratically,” following his treatment for COVID-19. “I think we need to lean into that,” Zucker continues, adding that, “If we've made any mistakes, it’s that our banners have been too polite.” CNN has previously made headlines for its blatantly anti-Trump banners, like one in April that read: “ANGRY TRUMP TURNS BRIEFING INTO PROPAGANDA SESSION.”

Zucker additionally told those in the conference call to couch “so-called scandals for Trump” in a way that would damage the president’s re-election chances: “each of these things we should just once again be careful to say that this is the one that is going to undo him with his voters.” 

Zucker targeted Republican Senator Lindsey Graham too, saying, “we need to go well after Lindsey Graham,” because the senator “really deserves it.” CNN slammed Graham repeatedly over the next few days, with one article titled “How you know Lindsey Graham is starting to panic.”

In the last clip posted by Project Veritas, CNN General Counsel David Vigilante similarly went after FOX News host Tucker Carlson. He called Carlson’s show “the white supremacy hour they have on FOX News every night” and the basis of an alleged “anti-diversity push” by President Trump. Project Veritas originally credited CNN vice president Marcus Mabry as the speaker in the third video. Tucker Carlson shot back at CNN on-air last night, condemning the “elite background” of Mabry, “one of CNN's most energetic diversity enforcers.”

CNN Communications tweeted yesterday about Project Veritas’ leaks, claiming “Legal experts say this may be a felony. We‘ve referred it to law enforcement.” James O’Keefe nevertheless has said that new clips will be “released daily” through December.