A former ABC News field producer has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit alleging sexual harassment against Matt Gutman, now a chief correspondent at CBS News, according to court documents obtained by Variety.
Samira Said, who worked at ABC from 2021 to 2025, claims she was terminated after requesting medical leave and workplace accommodations for undisclosed health conditions. The lawsuit alleges her requests were denied and that Gutman, 48, made sexualized remarks that fostered a hostile work environment.
Neither Gutman nor representatives for CBS News or ABC News have issued public statements regarding the allegations. Requests for comment from all parties remained unanswered.
According to the court filing, Said was assigned to work exclusively with Gutman and two male crew members following her hiring. The lawsuit describes an incident in which Gutman allegedly began discussing a female correspondent's appearance while the team stood in line during an assignment, assigning her a numerical rating based on physical attributes rather than professional merit. The male crew members reportedly joined the conversation, evaluating 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," the filing reads.
The lawsuit details another alleged incident during a film release press day when Said and Gutman had differing opinions about relocating from their current location. Said claims Gutman then made a sexualized suggestion implying she wanted to remain at the site because she had arranged a romantic encounter in the area.
"The remark, made audibly to others, demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype," the court documents claim.
Gutman spent 15 years as ABC News' chief national correspondent before transitioning to CBS News in January. He currently reports for CBS Mornings, CBS Evening News, 48 Hours and 60 Minutes.
"I am thrilled to be joining CBS, a network with TV news' most storied past, and most exciting future," Gutman said in a press release after accepting his new role, according to Variety. "With Bari [Weiss] and Tom [Cibrowski] at the helm, our mission is to tell the most important news stories and bring our audience along with us to places they wouldn't otherwise be able to go, to give a voice to those who might otherwise not be heard, and to tell it straight."
CBS News president Tom Cibrowski praised Gutman's hiring in a January statement, saying he had worked with the correspondent for decades and observed his ability to engage viewers through immersive storytelling.
"Whether he's on the frontlines of a conflict or the scene of a rescue mission, he has the power to connect with people in a way that informs and engages," Cibrowski said in the statement, according to Variety. "He has a sharp news sense, an acute ability to deliver immersive storytelling and a deep appreciation of history that will be an asset to all of us."
Individuals experiencing workplace harassment can contact the Department of Labor at 1-866-4-USA-DOL for information about federal labor protections, or visit the National Employment Law Project website for additional resources.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
