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NBC News and Savannah Guthrie slammed for hiring Johnny Depp's ex-lawyer Camille Vasquez as legal analyst

Savannah Guthrie's husband, Michael Feldman, reportedly worked with Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew during the Johnny Depp trial

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Savannah Guthrie and NBC News have been slameed for hiring Johnny Depp’s powerhouse attorney Camille Vasquez as a legal analyst. The 'Today' co-anchor had previously revealed that her husband, Michael Feldman, worked as a consultant in the actor’s defamation trial against Depp's ex-wife Amber Heard. Guthrie and the news network are under fire for failing to disclose her husband's involvement with Depp's legal team.

Vasquez accepted her new role with NBC after she was promoted to partner at Brown Rudnickher thanks to Depp, 59. As per The Hollywood Reporter, insiders said that NBC saw Vasquez as a high-value, popular asset because “at least three national news divisions had inquired about her reception to an analyst or contributor role.”

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While Depp won his defamation trial, Heard countersued and was awarded $2M by the jury her ex-husband's former attorney, Adam Waldman, had made defamatory comments about her.

According to Yahoo!, Guthrie’s husband consulted for Vasquez and other members of Depp’s legal team during his six-week trial. Their relationship was later revealed with a casual mention during an interview with Vasquez and Benjamin Chew, who also worked on Depp’s legal team. “A quick disclosure, my husband has done consulting work for the Depp legal team, but not in connection with this interview,” Guthrie said before NBC telecasted the interview.

Guthrie also faced criticism for her interview with Heard as several called her out for being tough with the actress. Heard's attorney had previously mentioned that she felt Depp’s legal team attempted to “demonize” her client. The ‘Today’ co-host asked Heard “about being caught in a lie over her pledge to donate her $7M divorce settlement to charity,” according to a report by The Independent.

Guthrie and the network were slammed online as one social media user tweeted, "The fact that people are surprised that Savannah Guthrie pulled a Camille Vasquez, has me shaking my head. OF COURSE. NBC protects abusers, and her husband is on Depps legal consulting team... So OF COURSE. Not shocked. Totally expected..." Another user tweeted, "Camille Vasquez is friends the husband of NBC Today show host Savannah Gutherie’s husband. She got the job via connections not qualifications: hence, nepotism."

Some unhappy fans also targeted the news network for Vasquez's comments on the Idaho murders. A user tweeted, "Camille Vasquez is Today's "legal analyst" commenting on the Idaho trial? They do understand she's a CIVIL litigator - not a criminal attorney - and only is repeating the things that any true crime podcast listener knows?" Another tweet read, "Why is Vasquez a “law expert” at @NBCNews and commenting on the BK case when she has no experience in criminal law? #BoycottNBCNews The Depp trial is a jolt of celebrity for lawyer Camille Vasquez after a series of complex corporate cases." Another user wrote, "Not just NBC staff!!! Female viewers are pretty pissed off about it too! @NBCNews I will not be tuning in until you get rid of Camille Vasquez."

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