Veteran journalist Mark Hemingway is sounding the alarm on what he describes as a major, underreported media scandal involving CBS’s 60 Minutes, calling into question the program’s journalistic credibility and its recent portrayal of controversial Democratic attorney Mark Elias.
In a detailed exposé published at Real Clear Investigations, Hemingway examines the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the recent resignation of 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens. While CBS framed Owens’ departure as a principled stand against corporate interference, Hemingway argues there is a deeper story rooted in partisan maneuvering, past scandals, and long-simmering conflicts of interest.
Hemingway, also a book editor at The Federalist, joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to unpack his reporting. He pointed to Owens’ ties to disgraced CIA operative Tyler Drumheller and their joint efforts to influence 60 Minutes coverage in favor of Hillary Clinton during the fallout from the Benghazi attacks in 2013. According to Hemingway, Drumheller—while simultaneously working with Clinton allies to secure post-conflict contracts in Libya—was also serving as a consultant to 60 Minutes and helped redirect a segment away from Clinton’s handling of the Benghazi crisis.
The segment, initially led by reporter Lara Logan, relied heavily on a witness whose credibility was later discredited. The fallout led to Logan’s suspension, but Owens, who had been closely involved with the segment and Drumheller, later ascended to lead the program.
“This should have been a career-ending scandal,” Hemingway said. “Instead, Owens got promoted.”
That scandal, he argues, marked a shift in how CBS and legacy media handled accountability. Unlike the Rathergate controversy in 2004—when CBS was forced to admit wrongdoing and Dan Rather’s career was effectively ended—more recent controversies seem to vanish from the news cycle with little consequence.
In his piece and the interview, Hemingway also highlighted 60 Minutes‘ recent soft treatment of Mark Elias, a Democratic lawyer best known for his involvement in funding the controversial Steele Dossier during the 2016 election and in a variety of high-profile election lawsuits. In a recent segment, Elias was framed as a champion of democracy, glossing over his controversial past. Hemingway called this portrayal “insane” and warned against the media’s increasingly one-sided political narrative.
“Mark Elias has a long history of influencing close elections through aggressive litigation,” Hemingway said, referencing the disputed 2008 Minnesota Senate race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman. “Yet the media continually portray him as a hero rather than a political operative.”
Hemingway’s reporting draws a through line from the Benghazi scandal to current editorial decisions at 60 Minutes, arguing that the program’s decline in credibility stems from years of internal bias and avoidance of accountability. He contends that a pattern of protecting Democratic political figures—most notably Hillary Clinton—has eroded trust in the outlet’s objectivity.
In his view, national political coverage by legacy media has become irreparably partisan. “If it involves major national politics,” he said, “the answer is no—you can’t trust them.” The reporting, he added, consistently tilts in one direction, regardless of the facts.
As for Owens’ resignation and the claim that corporate pressures led to his departure, Hemingway sees it as a distraction. He believes that internal scandals and ethical lapses—not outside influence—are the real source of the show’s decline.
With CBS and other legacy outlets still dominating the national conversation, Hemingway’s warning carries weight: in an era of increasing media polarization, the line between journalism and political advocacy may be harder to find than ever.