CBS News Chief Correspondent Matt Gutman Accused of Sexual Harassment in Wrongful-Termination Lawsuit
A former ABC News field producer has filed a wrongful-termination and sexual harassment lawsuit against the network and Matt Gutman, CBS News' chief correspondent, alleging a hostile work environment and retaliation for seeking medical leave.
Samira Said worked in ABC News' Los Angeles bureau from May 2021 until her termination on March 5, 2025. The lawsuit, filed on August 14, 2026, in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District, names both ABC News and Gutman, 48, as defendants and seeks unspecified monetary damages Variety; Los Angeles Times.
The complaint alleges that Gutman contributed to a hostile work environment by making sexualised comments toward Said. In one instance described in the filing, Gutman allegedly initiated a conversation while waiting in a public queue during an assignment in which he and male crew members rated a female correspondent's appearance, reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes. On another occasion, during a film press day, Gutman allegedly disagreed with Said about leaving the work site and then made a sexualised insinuation that she must have an after-hours date in the city, demeaning her in front of coworkers Variety.
Said's legal claims extend beyond the harassment allegations. The lawsuit states that in 2022, after being assigned to cover the Uvalde, Texas school shooting while still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, Said developed severe psychological symptoms. Her psychiatrist certified the medical necessity of leave to ABC and Disney, and she was granted medical leave from August 2022 through January 2023 Variety.
Around January 2023, Said's psychiatrist cleared her to return to work, subject to reasonable accommodations to protect against re-exposure to trauma triggers. Said claims ABC denied those requests. The lawsuit alleges that the Los Angeles bureau chief, David Herndon, told Said she would not be permitted to resume her role unless she returned without restrictions and with full-week availability. She was subsequently demoted to weekend desk shifts around March 2023 Variety.
Shortly before her March 2025 termination, Said sustained a workplace foot injury — a bone contusion — when heavy equipment struck her foot while she was covering hazardous weather-related events. A Disney physician determined the injury did not require her to take leave Variety; New York Post.
Gutman currently serves as chief national correspondent for CBS News, a role he moved to after years as a prominent correspondent at ABC News. The lawsuit's allegations concern his conduct during his time at ABC.
Neither ABC News, CBS News, nor representatives for Gutman have publicly responded to the lawsuit's claims as of publication. The allegations remain unproven and have not been tested in court.
