CBS News’ Matt Gutman accused of sexual harassment by ex-ABC producer

Ex-ABC Producer Files Wrongful Termination Suit Against CBS Correspondent Matt Gutman Over Alleged Sexual Harassment

Cybersecarmor.com – A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on August 14 alleges that Matt Gutman, the 48-year-old chief correspondent now anchoring “48 Hours” at CBS News, engaged in sexualized behavior toward a female colleague while both were employed at ABC News. The suit, brought by former field producer Samira Said, frames her departure from the network as wrongful termination and points to what her legal team describes as systemic misconduct within the organization.

Said spent nearly four years as a field producer in ABC News’ Los Angeles bureau, serving from May 2021 through March 2025. Gutman had been with the network since 2008, initially covering stories as a radio correspondent before rising to the role of chief national correspondent. He departed for CBS News in January, recruited by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, and continues to base his reporting out of Los Angeles.

The Alleged Incidents

In the complaint, Said describes being assigned to an all-male production team that included Gutman and two additional crew members. While on assignment, she says Gutman opened a conversation in which he assigned a numerical rating to a female correspondent’s physical appearance, effectively “reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes.”

“The male crew joined in, continuing to assess the woman’s body and looks in Said’s presence. The men attempted to draw Said into the conversation by soliciting her views. Said declined and stated the conversation was inappropriate.”

A second episode, also detailed in the filing, arose from a straightforward disagreement over whether the team should depart a work location. Said alleges Gutman responded with what she characterizes as a “sexualized insinuation” implying she must have been planning an after-hours date.

“The remark, made audibly to others, demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype.”

Legal Representation and Broader Allegations

Aaron Gbewonyo, the attorney representing Said, told reporters that the circumstances surrounding her firing “constitute clear violations of the law, with profound and lasting consequences for her both personally and professionally,” while accusing ABC of engaging in “unlawful conduct.”

“While this case centers on Ms. Said’s experience, we have reason to believe that ABC’s conduct was not an isolated incident,” Gbewonyo stated. “Ms. Said’s decision to come forward reflects remarkable courage, and we hope her actions will inspire others who have faced similar treatment to do the same. Meaningful change in the workplace can only occur when employees are empowered to speak out against injustice.”

The complaint also names former Los Angeles bureau chief David Herndon, alleging that ABC required Said to work while she was on protected medical leave — a claim that, if substantiated, would implicate federal disability and leave-protection statutes.

Medical Leave and the Road to Termination

In 2022, Said was dispatched to Uvalde, Texas, to cover the aftermath of the Robb Elementary school shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers. Before traveling, she had tested positive for COVID-19 and continued experiencing symptoms throughout her time in Uvalde. The complaint states she developed “severe psychological symptoms” during and after the assignment.

A psychiatrist subsequently granted her medical leave spanning August 2022 through January 2023. When cleared to return, the doctor’s note specified she could work only “subject to reasonable accommodations designed to enable her to perform the essential functions of the position while protecting against re-exposure to trauma triggers.” Said asserts that ABC rejected those conditions and that Herndon communicated plainly: unless she came back unrestricted and available for full-week schedules, she would not be allowed to resume her role.

Around March 2023, the suit says, Said was reassigned — described as a demotion — to weekend desk shifts only. She remained in that reduced capacity until March 2025, when ABC terminated her employment shortly after she sustained a workplace injury while covering a hazardous weather event. Heavy equipment struck her foot, producing what the complaint terms a bone contusion.

“Said reported the injury to her supervisors. A Disney physician evaluated Said and determined that her foot injury did not require her to take leave.”

A Pattern of On-Air Controversy

Gutman’s tenure at ABC News was marked by earlier episodes that drew public scrutiny. Last September, he faced widespread criticism after describing text messages sent by Tyler Robinson — the man charged with assassinating Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk — as “very touching in a way we did not expect.” Gutman subsequently issued an apology for his word choice.

In 2020, he made an on-air error stating that all four of Kobe Bryant’s children perished in the helicopter crash that killed the Lakers legend, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others. ABC News suspended him following the inaccurate report.

The new lawsuit adds a civil-rights dimension to what has already been a turbulent period for both Gutman and the network’s former Los Angeles bureau. CBS News and ABC News have not yet issued public comments on the filing.