CBS’s Matt Gutman Accused of Harassment in ABC Wrongful Termination Suit
Former ABC News Producer Sues Former Colleague and Network Over Harassment and Wrongful Firing
What Happened? A Simple Overview
Imagine you’re at work, doing your job, and a coworker says things that make you feel uncomfortable and disrespected. Then, when you go through a really tough time and need support, your bosses don’t help—they fire you instead.
That’s basically what Samira Said, a former field producer at ABC News, says happened to her. She’s filed a lawsuit (a formal legal complaint) in a Los Angeles court against:
- ABC News (her former employer)
- The Walt Disney Company (ABC’s parent company)
- Matt Gutman (a former ABC colleague who now works at CBS News)
IMPORTANT POINT
A lawsuit contains allegations (claims made by one side). These are not proven facts yet. The court will hear both sides before making any decisions.
The Allegations Against Matt Gutman
Samira Said says that while she and Matt Gutman worked together at ABC News (he was there for 17 years), he made inappropriate sexual comments that created a hostile work environment. The lawsuit describes two specific incidents:
Incident 1: Rating a Female Colleague’s Appearance
- Where: Waiting in a public line during a work assignment
- What happened: Gutman allegedly started a conversation "rating a female correspondent’s appearance and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes"
- Others joined in: Other male crew members participated and tried to pull Said into the conversation
- Said’s response: She declined to participate and said the conversation was inappropriate
Incident 2: Sexualized Comment About Personal Life
- Where: Covering a movie premiere press event
- What happened: Said and Gutman disagreed about whether to leave the work site
- Gutman’s response: "In front of multiple coworkers, Gutman responded by making a sexualized insinuation that Said must have an after-hours date in the city"
- Impact: The lawsuit says this "reduced [Said’s] professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype"
Who Is Matt Gutman?
- Age: 48
- Former role: 17 years at ABC News, mostly reporting from Los Angeles
- Current role: CBS News Chief Correspondent (joined January 2025)
- Recent work: Filled in as anchor of "CBS Evening News" and got higher ratings than the regular anchor, Tony Dokoupil
- Hired by: CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss (who took charge in October 2025)
The Wrongful Termination Claims Against ABC News and Disney
The lawsuit doesn’t just target Gutman—it also says ABC News and Disney wrongfully fired Said in 2025 after she dealt with serious mental health issues. Here’s the timeline:
1. The Uvalde School Shooting Assignment (2022)
- What happened: Said was assigned to cover the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas
- Her task: Interview child survivors who watched their classmates get killed
- Aftermath: She told her supervisor she needed a short leave for her health
- Response: Denied
2. Medical Leave Finally Approved
- A psychiatrist approved medical leave
- But: Shortly after it started, Said kept getting assignment requests from David Herndon (then head of ABC’s Los Angeles bureau)
3. LA Wildfires Coverage (January 2025)
- Assigned to cover the Los Angeles wildfires
- Three weeks in: A supervisor noticed her "deteriorating physical condition" and sent her home
4. Foot Injury and Denied Leave (Later in 2025)
- Injured her foot covering a weather story
- Reported it to supervisors
- Request for medical leave: Denied after evaluation by a company doctor
5. Termination
- Fired in 2025
- Lawsuit claims this violated California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (a law requiring employers to accommodate workers with disabilities, including mental health conditions)
Key People in This Story
| Person | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Samira Said | Former ABC News field producer (4 years) | Plaintiff (person suing) |
| Matt Gutman | Former ABC correspondent, now CBS Chief Correspondent | Named defendant |
| ABC News | Said’s former employer | Defendant |
| The Walt Disney Co. | ABC’s parent company | Defendant |
| David Herndon | Former head of ABC’s LA bureau | Mentioned in allegations |
| Bari Weiss | CBS News Editor-in-Chief | Hired Gutman at CBS |
What Happens Next? The Legal Process
- Defendants respond – ABC, Disney, and Gutman’s lawyers will file formal responses
- Discovery phase – Both sides gather evidence (emails, texts, witness statements)
- Possible settlement – Many cases settle before trial
- Trial – If no settlement, a judge or jury hears the case
- Verdict and damages – If Said wins, she could get:
- Compensatory damages (money for actual losses)
- Punitive damages (extra money to punish wrongdoing)
- Attorneys’ fees
NOTE
As of now: Disney, CBS News, and Gutman have all declined to comment because they haven’t seen the lawsuit yet.
Important Points to Remember
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- This is a lawsuit with allegations – not proven facts. The legal system will determine what happened.
- Two separate issues – Harassment claims against Gutman AND wrongful termination claims against ABC/Disney.
- California law matters – The Fair Employment and Housing Act requires employers to accommodate disabilities.
- Workplace culture – The allegations describe a pattern where inappropriate comments happened in front of others.
- Mental health in journalism – Covering traumatic events (like school shootings) can have serious impacts on reporters.
Summary
Samira Said, a former ABC News field producer, has filed a lawsuit against ABC News, Disney, and former colleague Matt Gutman (now at CBS News).
The lawsuit has two main parts:
-
Harassment allegations against Gutman – Two incidents where he allegedly made sexualized comments that demeaned female colleagues and created a hostile workplace.
- Wrongful termination against ABC/Disney – Said says she was fired after struggling with mental health issues triggered by covering the Uvalde school shooting. She claims the company denied her medical leave requests and didn’t accommodate her disability, violating California law.
All defendants have declined comment so far. The case is in early stages in Los Angeles Superior Court.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
What is a "hostile work environment"?
It’s a legal term. It means workplace behavior (like sexual comments, harassment, or discrimination) that’s severe or frequent enough to make a reasonable person feel intimidated, offended, or unable to do their job. A few offhand comments usually aren’t enough—it has to be a pattern or very serious.
What does "wrongful termination" mean?
Getting fired for an illegal reason. In California, you can’t be fired for:
- Having a disability (including mental health conditions) and needing reasonable accommodation
- Reporting harassment or discrimination
- Taking legally protected medical leave
- Other protected reasons
Why is Matt Gutman being sued if he works at CBS now?
The alleged incidents happened years ago when they both worked at ABC News. You can be sued for things you did at a previous job. His current employer (CBS) isn’t being sued—just him personally.
What’s the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)?
A California law that protects workers from discrimination and requires employers to provide "reasonable accommodations" for disabilities (physical and mental). It’s stronger than federal law in many ways.
How long will this take?
Lawsuits like this can take months to years. Many settle before trial. If it goes to trial, it could be a year or more before a verdict.
This article explains a pending lawsuit based on court filings. All allegations are unproven. The legal process will determine the facts.