‘Lies’: Scott Pelley Disputes Bari Weiss’s Characterization of Meeting That Led to His Firing

(Photos: Alberto E. Tamargo and Paul Hennessy)

Newly fired 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley slammed CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss for spreading “lies” about his final meeting with network leadership before his dismissal in a new statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement — obtained by New York Times media reporter Ben Mullin — was in response to a meeting Weiss had with staffers earlier in the morning. Weiss said Pelley had “broken” the trust of the newsroom when he went on a scathing rant against her and new 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton earlier this week — a meeting in which Pelley accused Weiss of “murdering” the news program. 

“Despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back, unfortunately we weren’t able to do so, and so we had to part ways,” Weiss told CBS staffers on Wednesday morning, per the Times. “We did not want that to happen, but that’s the path that he chose.”

Pelley fired back in his lengthy statement.

“I’m saddened to see the transcript of the CBS News morning editorial meeting,” Pelley said. “Bari Weiss knows what she said is not true. In the meeting on Tuesday, in which I was effectively fired, there was no effort of any kind to ‘find a way back,’ as Weiss said in the editorial meeting.”

He continued by calling out CBS News President Tom Cibrowski:

At not point did anyone in the Tuesday meeting suggest that there could be steps taken by either side that would lead to a resolution. Weiss and Tom Cibrowski were openly hostile from the start. “Firing” was raised by Cibrowski in the first 15 seconds.

No CBS executive, at any time, suggested “a way back.” To say so now is disingenuous. And they know it.

He went on to claim Weiss and Bilton “refused” to answer his questions. He then listed several of those questions — including why Weiss had fired several correspondents last week — that he claimed to have asked in the meeting.

“I am pained the staff of CBS News was misled in the Wednesday morning conference call,” his statement said in the final paragraph. “These executives cannot gain the trust of the staff with lies. This is antithetical to everything we stand for and reveals contempt for what journalists do.”

Read the full statement below:

I’m saddened to see the transcript of the CBS News morning editorial meeting.

Bari Weiss knows what she said is not true. In the meeting on Tuesday, in which I was effectively fired, there was no effort of any kind to “find a way back,”  as Weiss said in the editorial meeting.

At not point did anyone in the Tuesday meeting suggest that there could be steps taken by either side that would lead to a resolution. Weiss and Tom Cibrowski were openly hostile from the start. “Firing” was raised by Cibrowski in the first 15 seconds.

No CBS executive, at any time, suggested “a way back.” To say so now is disingenuous. And they know it.

In fact, Weiss, Cibrowski, and Nick Bilton refused to answer my questions. I asked Weiss a number of questions about why she fired the entire senior staff of 60 Minutes a few days before and without cause.

“I’m not answering that question,” she said.

I asked why she did not come to 60 Minutes’ offices to explain her actions.

“I’m not answering that question.”

Why did she fire 60 Minutes Executive Producer Tanya Simon?

“I’m not answering that question.”

Why fire correspondent Cecilia Vega?

“I’m not answering that question.”

Why fire correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi?

“I’m not answering that question.”

Throughout the meeting, the CBS executives were abrupt, dismissive, and uninterested in dialogue. Suddenly, and to my surprise, Cibrowski declared, “This conversation is over!”

“Why?” I asked. “I’m happy to answer your questions.”

“This conversation is over!” Cibrowski repeated, raising his voice and standing to show me the door.

“I’m happy to keep talking,” I added.

No constructive dialogue was allowed by the CBS executives at any point. I was stonewalled for about 10 minutes and then, for no apparent reason, “This conversation is over.”

I am pained the staff of CBS News was misled in the Wednesday morning conference call. These executives cannot gain the trust of the staff with lies. This is antithetical to everything we stand for and reveals contempt for what journalists do.

Pelley’s Wednesday morning statement comes after a different statement on Tuesday night where he said he was sickened by CBS axing him, after he had been “in combat” in several war zones for the network.

President Donald Trump didn’t sound like a guy who would miss watching Pelley, though. Trump branded Pelley a “stiff” who was just another member of the “crooked” mainstream press during a podcast interview with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine.

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