60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley accuses Bari Weiss of ‘murdering’ show

Pelley reportedly rebuked CBS ousting show’s executive producer, executive editor and two top correspondents

Scott Pelley, a veteran 60 Minutes correspondent, called out CBS News management in a heated meeting on Monday morning, attacking the network’s decision on Thursday to fire the show’s executive producer, executive editor, and two fellow correspondents, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, as part of a broader overhaul of the show, sources tell the Guardian.

During a meeting of the show’s staff and Nick Bilton, its newly appointed executive producer, along with the CBS News managing editor Charles Forelle, Pelley took direct aim at Bari Weiss , the network’s controversial editor-in-chief.

“She’s murdering 60 Minutes,” Pelley said, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it and is doing exactly that.”

Forelle accused Pelley of being rude, and Pelley countered by saying that the network had been rude by the way it treated Tanya Simon, the show’s executive producer who was fired on Thursday.

Bilton conveyed to Pelley that he would not be “intimidated” by his remarks.

60 Minutes staff who were present for the meeting showed strong support for Pelley, giving him a standing ovation, sources said.

A CBS News spokesperson declined comment on the meeting. A source with knowledge of the situation said that overtures have been made to Pelley, who is seen as an important part of the show. (Pelley has also been contacted for comment.)