CBS News Slams ‘Ludicrous’ Report Claiming Lesley Stahl Nearly Quit ‘60 Minutes’ Over Bari Weiss

CBS News has dismissed a recent report stating that "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl threatened to resign from the show after facing "extremely contentious" screenings of her latest piece. A spokesperson for "60 Minutes" called the narrative "ludicrous and twisted," asserting that the show's pieces typically undergo a thorough editorial process, often requiring fewer edits than usual for this particular piece.

The claim emerged from a report by Status, which alleged that Stahl had contemplated leaving the program following a contentious back-and-forth involving CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and managing editor Charles Forelle. According to the outlet, citing sources familiar with the incident, the story on violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers was slated for broadcast, but Weiss and Forelle became heavily involved in screenings, leading to a heated exchange between Stahl and the leadership.

Despite the tensions, Stahl reportedly decided to keep the show's Sunday airdate, though she did not express these concerns to the leadership. The piece was initially screened on Thursday, resulting in a tight timeline for revisions, which is typical for "60 Minutes." Stahl, along with Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, remained with the show following a significant staff reorganization in May, which saw the departures of Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.

The journalists had initially contemplated staying to avoid endorsing the power structure changes, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining the integrity and independence of "60 Minutes." They highlighted their values, stating that they were not influenced by the firings, as it was not explained why Tanya and Draggan were removed for advocating for the show's principles.

The statement clarified that they believed such disputes should not resemble a dictatorship and that open debate was a foundational aspect of journalism at "60 Minutes."