O'Donnell Accuses CNN and WBD of Hiring 'Paid Liar'

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell launched a blistering critique of CNN for featuring conservative commentator Scott Jennings, calling him a "rabid, lying Trump supporter" and accusing the network of effectively hiring a "paid liar" for President Donald Trump. O'Donnell said Jennings moved from a more moderate conservative position to a MAGA-aligned pundit and accused CNN CEO Mark Thompson and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery of compromising editorial independence. He alleged newsroom staff have been chilled and cited firings such as Jim Acosta as examples of self‑censorship, and framed the issue as part of broader corporate behavior tied to WBD's strategic review and reported takeover interest from Paramount under David Ellison backed by Larry Ellison. O'Donnell also criticized the commercial value of Jennings's TV appearances, saying those shows draw far smaller audiences than his own program. CNN executives including Thompson defended Jennings as "good TV" and a useful conservative foil, a defense O'Donnell dismissed as justifying paid pro‑Trump commentary.