Bari Weiss Poaches ABC Reporter Attacked for Comment About Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Killer
Gilberto Tadday/TED
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss poached ABC News reporter Matt Gutman on Friday, months after his on-air comments about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin triggered backlash from many on the right.
Weiss was previously rumored to be eying Gutman for the role of CBS Evening News anchor. The storied show’s two co-anchors– Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson– both announced their resignations in recent months.
Gutman will not chair the Evening News, sources told Puck’s Dylan Byers, but will nevertheless leave his role as chief national correspondent at ABC for a high-ranking correspondent position at CBS.
Weiss, who was appointed EIC of CBS News in October after parent company Paramount’s acquisition of her publication The Free Press, reportedly tried to entice Gutman to make the jump early on in her tenure. Though Gutman initially signaled he would remain at ABC, Weiss’ pursuit continued, and negotiations eventually resulted in his hiring.
Gutman’s hiring comes just months after his comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer drew criticism for being overly sympathetic.
Reporting on the messages suspected assassin Tyler Robinson allegedly sent to his roommate and partner following Kirk’s assassination, Gutman described the texts as “very touching in a way that many of us didn’t expect.” He went on to call the exchange “a very intimate portrait into this relationship” that he said highlighted the “duality” of Robinson.
Gutman’s word choice quickly went viral, sparking outrage from critics who accused him of romanticizing a suspected killer and downplaying Kirk’s murder, which occurred a week prior.
The journalist later apologized for the comments, clarifying that he “unequivocally condemn[ed] this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.”
The specifics of Gutman’s future role at CBS are unclear at this time.
CORRECTION: This article originally referred to Matt Gutman as an ABC News anchor. He is a reporter with the news organization.
