Savannah Guthrie, 51, and NBC News are under fire for hiring controversial Johnny Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez, 38, as a legal analyst months after the Today co-anchor revealed that her husband Michael Feldman, 54, had been consulted in connection with the actor’s defamation lawsuit.
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Camille Vasquez, the lawyer who caught the nation’s attention after representing Johnny Depp in his lawsuit against Amber Heard, has a new gig.
NBC News confirmed on Monday that it has hired Vasquez as a legal analyst. She joined the Today show to discuss the University of Idaho student pic.twitter.com/2c6NVh4KSo— Ibuki (@ibuki53010508) January 9, 2023
Savannah Guthrie is called out for hiring Johnny Depp’s lawyer as a legal analyst
Vasquez accepted his new role with NBC after his court efforts secured a $15 million win for Depp, 59. The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star has sued his ex-wife Amber Heard, 36, for defamation after he wrote an op-ed. to The Washington Post where she refers to the sexual and domestic abuse she suffered in her marriage to Depp. After Depp won his libel suit, Vasquez was promoted to partner at the law firm Brown Rudnick. Heard later countersued and was awarded $2 million by the jury, which determined that Depp’s former attorney, Adam Waldman, made defamatory comments about him.
Insiders said The Hollywood Reporter that NBC viewed Vasquez as a high-value popular asset because “at least three national news divisions had inquired about her reception in an analyst or contributor role”.
The fact that people are surprised that Savannah Guthrie is pulling a Camille Vasquez, makes me shake my head.
SURE. NBC protects abusers and her husband is on Depps’ team of legal consultants… So SURE. Not shocked. Totally expected… https://t.co/MYp1JarwgP
— ᏗᎷᏰᏋᏒ ᏒᎧᏕᏋ (@AmberRose_Bruh) June 14, 2022
Savannah Guthrie reveals her husband was consulted by Johnny Depp’s legal team
The NBC News co-anchor has come under fire for failing to disclose the relationship between her husband and Depp’s legal team when covering the lawsuit, including an interview Guthrie had with Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft. Guthrie’s husband, Michael Feldman, consulted with Vasquez and other members of Depp’s legal team. Bredehoft said she believes Depp’s legal team tried to “demonize” her client.
Savannah Guthrie: “His lawyers argued at trial that none of his previous relationships, no women came forward and said he physically hit them. You were the only one.
Amber Heard: Look what happened to me when I came forward. Would you?” #AmberIsFree #AmberHeardGotHerVoiceBack pic.twitter.com/ExoqHXOQxH
– CoraMel (@cora_melodie_) January 8, 2023
Guthrie later revealed the relationship with the occasional mention during an interview with Vasquez and Benjamin Chew, who also worked on Depp’s legal team, “A quick disclosure, my husband did some consulting work for the Depp’s legal team, but not in connection with this interview,” she said before NBC aired the interview. Guthrie also interviewed Heard for NBC and was criticized for her toughness. According to an article published by The IndependentToday, co-host Guthrie interviewed Heard “about being ‘caught in the act of lying’ about her promise to donate her $7 million divorce settlement to charity.”