CBS News Correspondent Matt Gutman Accused of Harassment in Former ABC Producer’s Lawsuit

A former ABC News field producer is suing CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman, alleging he subjected her to workplace harassment and inappropriate sexualized comments during their time working together.

Samira Said filed the wrongful-termination lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 14, naming Gutman, ABC News, The Walt Disney Company and ABC News Los Angeles bureau chief David Herndon as defendants. She also claims the network discriminated against her, denied her reasonable workplace accommodations and wrongfully fired her.

Said, who worked as a field producer at ABC News from 2021 until 2025, alleges that Gutman made inappropriate remarks on at least two separate occasions.

In one incident, Said says she was working with Gutman and two other male crew members when he began publicly discussing and rating a female correspondent’s appearance while they stood in a public line. When other crew members tried to draw her into the conversation, Said pushed back, telling them the discussion was inappropriate.

A second incident allegedly occurred during an assignment tied to a movie release. According to the lawsuit, after Said disagreed with Gutman about whether the team should leave the work site, he responded with a sexualized comment implying she had a personal date lined up in the city. Said claims the remark undermined her professional credibility by reducing her to a sexual stereotype.

The harassment allegations form part of a larger dispute over Said’s treatment at ABC News. She says she struggled with serious mental health issues following high-profile assignments, including coverage of the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. When she requested time off and medical accommodations, Said claims ABC News ignored her requests and continued assigning her work.

The lawsuit also alleges that Said suffered a workplace injury in 2025 before being terminated that year. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages along with attorney’s fees.

Gutman joined CBS News in January 2026 after spending roughly 17 years at ABC News. He was brought on as one of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss’s first major on-air hires and now serves as chief correspondent. At CBS, he leads coverage for 48 Hours and contributes to 60 Minutes. He recently filled in anchoring CBS Evening News, where his appearances drew strong viewership numbers.

Neither CBS News nor Gutman has publicly commented on the allegations. Disney declined to comment, saying executives had not yet reviewed Said’s complaint.