A former ABC News field producer has filed a lawsuit alleging CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman made inappropriate workplace comments and that ABC News subsequently terminated her employment after denying her medical accommodations. The suit, filed by Samira Said in Los Angeles Superior Court, also names ABC News and The Walt Disney Co. as defendants.
Said alleges that Gutman initiated conversations about a female correspondent’s appearance, rating her professional standing based on physical attributes. The complaint states that male colleagues joined in this discussion in Said’s presence, attempting to solicit her views, which she declined, deeming the conversation inappropriate.
According to the lawsuit, Gutman later made a sexualized insinuation in front of coworkers that Said must have an after-hours date, which explained her reluctance to relocate for an assignment. The complaint characterizes this remark as demeaning and reducing her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype.
These allegations against Gutman are part of a broader legal action by Said, who accuses ABC and Disney of discrimination, retaliation, failing to accommodate her medical conditions, and wrongful termination. Said was employed by ABC News in its Los Angeles bureau from May 2021 until March 2025.
Said’s lawsuit details her experience covering the May 2022 Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. She alleges that management urged her to cover the event despite experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, which led to severe psychological distress after interviewing child witnesses. Despite a psychiatrist clearing her to return with accommodations, she claims the then-Los Angeles bureau chief refused to permit a restricted schedule, stating she would not be allowed to resume her role without full-week availability.
Following this, Said alleges she was moved to weekend desk shifts. The suit further claims she sustained a foot injury from heavy equipment while covering Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025. ABC News terminated Said’s employment on March 5, 2025, during what was described as a routine meeting.
Gutman joined CBS in January after a 17-year tenure at ABC News. He was the first significant on-air hire under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. At CBS, Gutman is slated to report for "CBS Mornings" and the "CBS Evening News," lead reporting for "48 Hours," contribute to "60 Minutes," and serve as a fill-in anchor.
When CBS announced Gutman's hiring, Weiss praised his reporting, stating, "Matt Gutman goes there. He brings the audience along with him to whatever story he is covering, and he approaches his work with the qualities we look for in all our journalists: fearlessness, energy and relentlessness."
Disney and CBS have been contacted for comment. A Disney representative informed The Los Angeles Times that executives had not yet reviewed the complaint. The allegations within the lawsuit have not been adjudicated.