Scott Pelley, a longtime correspondent for 60 Minutes, stated that he was accused of physically abusing newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton before his termination from the program. In an interview published by the New York Times, Pelley recounted that CBS News President Tom Cibrowski made the accusation during a meeting held one day before Pelley was fired. Pelley denied the allegation, asserting that he had never physically harmed anyone in anger.
Pelley claimed that Cibrowski later retracted the accusation after realizing it was false. He provided context for his firing, noting that he did not expect to be terminated after a meeting where he criticized CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and Bilton's qualifications. Pelley had initially planned to miss the meeting but decided to attend, recognizing its significance for 60 Minutes.
In the interview, Pelley also disputed claims made by Bilton regarding a dinner invitation that Pelley declined, citing his emotional state as the reason. He criticized Bilton's welcome email, suggesting it indicated a lack of understanding of the show's culture. Pelley described the atmosphere during the meeting as tense, noting that Bilton read a statement from his phone, which he found inappropriate given the circumstances. The show, which has been on air since 1968, is set to return without Pelley, featuring guest anchors.
