CBS News Correspondent Matt Gutman Accused of Sexualized Comments in Former ABC Employee’s Lawsuit

CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman is facing allegations of inappropriate and sexualized comments in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former ABC News employee.

Samira Said, a former field producer in ABC News’ Los Angeles bureau, filed the lawsuit Friday, Aug. 14, in Los Angeles Superior Court. Gutman, ABC, Disney and ABC News bureau chief David Herndon are named as defendants.

According to the complaint, Said worked at ABC News from May 2021 until March 2025 and alleges she was subjected to a hostile work environment, discrimination and retaliation. She also claims the company failed to properly accommodate her medical needs before terminating her.

Said alleges that Gutman, who she says was her supervisor, made inappropriate comments on at least two occasions.

In one incident, Said says she was assigned to a male-only team with Gutman and two other crew members. While the group was waiting in a public line during a work assignment, Gutman allegedly began rating a female correspondent’s appearance and assigning her a numerical score based on her physical attributes.

The other men allegedly joined the discussion and continued commenting on the woman’s body and appearance. According to the lawsuit, they asked Said for her opinion, but she declined and told them the conversation was inappropriate.

In another alleged incident, Said says she and Gutman disagreed over whether their team should leave a work site during a press event for a movie release. The lawsuit claims Gutman responded in front of several colleagues by suggesting that Said had an after-hours date in the city and that this was the reason she did not want to relocate.

Said alleges that the comment was demeaning and reduced a professional disagreement to a sexualized stereotype.

The allegations are part of a much broader lawsuit centered on Said’s claims about her treatment at ABC News and her requests for medical leave and workplace accommodations.

Said says she began experiencing symptoms of depression in 2021 and was advised by her doctor to reduce her workload. In 2022, she contracted COVID-19 but alleges that management strongly encouraged her to take a high-profile assignment covering the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

After covering the shooting and interviewing children who had witnessed the deaths of classmates and teachers, Said says she developed severe psychological symptoms and requested time away from work. Her initial request for a short leave was allegedly denied, although she was later approved for medical leave beginning in August 2022.

According to the complaint, colleagues and supervisors continued contacting Said about work while she was on leave. She says she continued responding because she feared negative consequences, despite still experiencing the symptoms that had prompted her leave.

Said later returned to work after a psychiatrist cleared her to do so with accommodations. She alleges that ABC rejected those accommodations.

The lawsuit also alleges that Said was assigned to cover the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025 despite her previous requests for accommodations. After about three weeks in the field, she says a supervisor sent her home after noticing that her physical condition was deteriorating.

She was subsequently assigned to cover additional severe weather and suffered a workplace injury when heavy equipment struck her foot, causing a bone contusion, according to the complaint.

On March 5, 2025, Said says she was called into what she believed would be a routine meeting and was instead informed that her employment was being terminated.

Gutman left ABC News and joined CBS News as chief news correspondent in December 2025. He is the lead correspondent for “48 Hours” and a contributor to “60 Minutes.”

Said is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and other relief. She has also requested a jury trial. The lawsuit says the damages sought exceed $35,000 but does not provide a specific amount.

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been established in court. Gutman, ABC, Disney and the other defendants will have an opportunity to respond to the claims.