By Greg Hazley
CBS News chairman Jeff Fager has deflected criticism and a call for an apology from Lance Armstrong’s lawyers after a scathing “60 Minutes” segment said the cycling champion used performance enhancing drugs.
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Fager, who is executive producer of the top-rated news program, on Wednesday issued a lengthy, point-by-point rebuttal of Armstrong’s legal team’s May 31 volley, saying the network stands by the story as “truthful, accurate and fair.”
“Lance Armstrong and his lawyers were given numerous opportunities to respond to every detail of our reporting for weeks prior to the broadcast and their writeen responses were fairly and accurately included in the story,” said Fager.
Armstrong declined to be interviewed for the report, which featured former teammate Tyler Hamilton implicating himself and Armstrong in doping.
Fager also pointed out that Armstrong has not addressed Hamilton’s allegations, as well as those of another former teammate, George Hincapie. He also noted Hamilton gave the same testimony about Armstrong under oath to federal officials.
The Austin-American Statesman obtained the letter from Armstrong’s lawyers, John Keker and Elliot Peters, to CBS which said several points in the “60 Minutes” report were “incorrect, false and broadcast in error.” The expressed hope that CBS would “rectify the mistake,” adding, “Beyond that, we will have to see where this takes us.”
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