CBS News' Matt Gutman Accused of Harassment in New Lawsuit
CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman has been accused of making inappropriate, sexualized remarks to a former colleague, according to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against ABC News, Gutman and The Walt Disney Company.
The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 14, by Samira Said, a former ABC News field producer who worked in the network's Los Angeles bureau from May 2021 until March 2025. Said's lawsuit centers primarily on claims of discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination tied to medical leave she says she was denied proper accommodation for, but it also describes two specific incidents involving Gutman that she alleges created a hostile work environment.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
According to the complaint, Said was placed on an all-male team that included Gutman and two other crew members. During one assignment, while the group waited in a public queue, Said alleges Gutman began a discussion rating a female correspondent's appearance and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes, with other male crew members joining in.
The lawsuit describes a second incident during a press day tied to a film release, when Said and Gutman disagreed over whether the team should leave the location. Said alleges Gutman responded, in front of several coworkers, with a comment suggesting she must have an after-hours date in the city, which the complaint says amounted to a sexualized insinuation. Said's legal team wrote that the remark "demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype."
Where Things Stand
Gutman, 48, joined CBS News as chief correspondent in December 2025 after nearly two decades at ABC News. He is currently the lead correspondent for "48 Hours" and a contributor to "60 Minutes." A representative for Gutman declined to comment on the allegations, and CBS News did not immediately respond to requests for comment from outlets covering the story.
CBS itself is not named as a party in the lawsuit, which is directed at ABC News, Disney and Gutman individually. Said is seeking unspecified damages.
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