Several staffers at one of television's most storied news programs turned down a high-profile election assignment because of worries about their own boss. A handful of ' 60 Minutes ' producers passed on working with newly hired correspondent Ross Douthat on a segment about Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed , fearing interference from CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss , the media newsletter Status reported Thursday.
The assignment ultimately went to Keith Sharman, a producer who frequently works alongside Norah O'Donnell. Executive producer Nick Bilton elevated Sharman to senior broadcast producer earlier this month after a veteran producer retired, according to an internal memo Status obtained.
The interview itself had been in doubt. Days before the '60 Minutes' crew arrived, CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford cheered on X as a GOP activist pressured El-Sayed to denounce the Muslim Brotherhood. Crawford later deleted the post and apologized for breaking network…