{"id":2611638,"date":"2026-06-07T10:12:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T14:12:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scott-pelley-says-he-was-accused-of-physical-abuse-before-60-minutes-firing\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T10:13:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T14:13:37","slug":"scott-pelley-says-he-was-accused-of-physical-abuse-before-60-minutes-firing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scott-pelley-says-he-was-accused-of-physical-abuse-before-60-minutes-firing\/","title":{"rendered":"Scott Pelley says he was accused of physical abuse before 60 Minutes firing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fscott-pelley-says-he-was-accused-of-physical-abuse-before-60-minutes-firing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2611638&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Scott Pelley,a longtime \u201c60 Minutes\u201d correspondent,says CBS News President Tom Cibrowski accused him of physically abusing newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton one day before Pelley was fired from the show he\u2019d worked on since 2004. In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/george-blake-last-in-line-of-cold-war-spies-who-betrayed-britain-dies-at-98\/\" title=\"George Blake, last in line of Cold War spies who betrayed Britain, dies at 98\">interview published<\/a> by the *New York Times*,Pelley strongly denies the allegation,saying he never got within 10 feet of Bilton and has never put his hands on anyone in anger,and he claims Cibrowski later retracted the accusation as \u201che was caught in that lie.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pelley also describes the meeting that led to his termination, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mccarthy-tees-up-vote-on-standalone-300-million-ukraine-aid-package\/\" title=\"McCarthy prepares for vote on 0M Ukraine aid package.\">including disputes<\/a> over Bilton\u2019s qualifications and sharp criticism of changes made by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, such as firing former executive producer Tanya Simon. He says he canceled a planned trip because it felt like an \u201cexistential moment\u201d for \u201c60 Minutes.\u201d pelley further disputes points made in Bilton\u2019s firing letter-contending Bilton\u2019s claims about invitations to talk and Pelley\u2019s reactions are inaccurate-and characterizes Bilton\u2019s early messaging as out of touch with the show\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n<p>He adds that Bilton read a prepared statement from his phone during the meeting, which Pelley describes as particularly insensitive to the room. \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d which has aired as 1968, is set to return Sunday without Pelley, with guest anchors stepping in.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Longtime <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/60-minutes\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1133\">60 Minutes<\/a><\/em>  correspondent<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/scott-pelley\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"5829\"> Scott Pelley<\/a> said he was accused of physically abusing newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton before he was fired from the show he had worked on since 2004.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview published Sunday <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/07\/magazine\/scott-pelley-interview.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/07\/magazine\/scott-pelley-interview.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share\">by the <em>New York Times<\/em><\/a>, Pelley said <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cbs-news\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1807\">CBS News<\/a> President Tom Cibrowski accused him of \u201cphysically abusing\u201d Bilton during an explosive meeting one day before his termination.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4597308\/natasha-owens-drops-tds-song-music-video\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Natasha Owens drops \u2018TDS\u2019 song and music video: \u2018You tested positive\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4596337\/trump-announces-new-performers-of-greatest-rally-ever-on-june-24-rally-to-end-all-rallies\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump announces new performers of \u2018greatest rally ever\u2019 on June 24: \u2018Rally to end all rallies\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4594814\/pelley-updating-linkedin-hoping-begging-joe-concha\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Scott Pelley is updating his LinkedIn, hoping and begging\u2019: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBefore I can take my seat, Tom Cibrowski said, this is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-reporter-forced-to-resign-over-n-word-controversy-tells-his-side-of-the-story\/\" title=\"New York Times Reporter Forced To Resign Over N-Word Controversy Tells His Side Of The Story\">firing offense<\/a>,\u201d Pelley told the <em>New York Times<\/em>. \u201cSo I sit down, like, OK, let\u2019s talk about it. Tom accuses me of physically abusing Nick Bilton. This is a lie. I didn\u2019t come within 10 feet of Nick Bilton. In my life, I have never put my hands on anyone in anger.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley said Cibrowski then retracted his statement because \u201che was caught in that lie.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley, whose tenure spanned 37 years at the network, gave new color to the circumstances that led to his firing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/60-minutes-reporter-rebels-against-his-own-copany-in-surprising-on-air-statement\/\" title=\"&#039;60 Minutes&#039; Reporter Rebels Against His Own Copany in Surprising On-Air Statement\">veteran correspondent<\/a> said he did not expect to be fired following a meeting in which he accused CBS News Editor-in-Chief <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bari-weiss\/\">Bari Weiss<\/a>, who did not attend the meeting,\u00a0of \u201cmurdering\u201d the long-running agency, calling it the \u201cfurthest thing from my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the meeting that ultimately led to Pelley\u2019s termination, the correspondent challenged Bilton\u2019s qualifications and sharply criticized Weiss for changes she had made to the network, including firing former executive producer Tanya Simon. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley said he was originally going to miss the meeting with Bilton because of a planned trip, but canceled the vacation because he \u201crealized that this was an existential moment for \u201960 Minutes.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the interview released Sunday, Pelley disputed claims Bilton made in the letter informing Pelley of his firing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bilton said he had invited Pelley to dinner shortly after taking on the role to discuss changes that had been made, which Bilton claims Pelley rejected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley said he declined the invitation because he was \u201ctoo emotionally wrought up.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am going to say the wrong thing,\u201d Pelley said. \u201cI am not going to hear what they have to say. This isn\u2019t the moment.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley also explained the contents of Bilton\u2019s welcome email, saying the entering leader spoke about the show as if it were \u201cfrozen in amber.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe told us that it wasn\u2019t 1968 anymore, and he helpfully noted that gasoline doesn\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >cost 32 cents anymore<\/a>, suggested that we had all been frozen in amber in 1968 when the program first went on the air, and that nothing had improved,\u201d Pelley said in the interview. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt betrayed the fact that Nick Bilton didn\u2019t know anything about us, didn\u2019t know anything about our culture, and yet was being imposed on us as our new leader,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bilton, in his letter, had also accused Pelley of \u201chijacking\u201d the meeting to \u201cdisparage\u201d the new leader.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pelley explained that he went into the meeting expecting to get answers from Weiss about the \u201ctragedy\u201d of hiring Bilton and the changes made at the network in order to create a show \u201cthat thrives in the 21st century,\u201d which Weiss and Cibrowski had said \u201crequires a new approach.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4592447\/60-minutes-scott-pelley-fired-cbs-bari-weiss\/\"><strong>60 MINUTES HOST SCOTT PELLEY FIRED AFTER ACCUSING CBS CHIEF OF \u2018MURDERING\u2019 SHOW<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs we\u2019re standing in there, Nick makes his way to the front of the room and does something absolutely jaw-dropping to me,\u201d Pelley said. \u201cHe pulls out his phone and begins reading a statement off his phone in a room full of 50 heartbroken people. The callousness, the tone deafness of that, you could hear the groan in the room. They put out a big spread of bagels like we were all going to feel better.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The interview show that has been on air since 1968 is set to return Sunday, without Pelley, and will feature guest anchors. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scott Pelley says CBS alleged he physically abused Nick Bilton<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2611639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25118054623227.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[42153,36546,80964,45218,61888],"class_list":["post-2611638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-60-minutes","tag-media-controversy","tag-physical-abuse-allegation","tag-scott-pelley","tag-workplace-firing"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25118054623227.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2611638"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2611642,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611638\/revisions\/2611642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2611639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2611638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2611638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2611638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}