[TheCipher]

CNN specifically violated § 135.60 of the New York criminal code "coercion".

Section 135.60 NY criminal code

[Jane Long]

I hope this backfires BIGLY on #CNNBlackmail.

[Ken H]

Excellent find! The relevant text =>

A person is guilty of coercion in the second degree when he or she compels or induces a person to engage in conduct which the latter has a legal right to abstain from engaging in, or to abstain from engaging in conduct in which he or she has a legal right to engage, or compels or induces a person to join a group, organization or criminal enterprise which such latter person has a right to abstain from joining, by means of instilling in him or her a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the actor or another will:

1. Cause physical injury to a person;  or
2. Cause damage to property;  or
3. Engage in other conduct constituting a crime;  or
4. Accuse some person of a crime or cause criminal charges to be instituted against him or her;  or
5. Expose a secret or publicize an asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject some person to hatred, contempt or ridicule;

[Ken H]

CNN specifically violated § 135.60 of the New York criminal code "coercion".

That's worth its own thread. It looks like the text doesn't leave CNN any wiggle room.