That Time Leslie Stahl Claimed Hunter’s Laptop Couldn’t Be ‘Verified’ as ’60 Minutes’ Finally Confronts Its Bias

Thoughts and prayers for the folks over at “60 Minutes,” who have been subjected to a bit of a shake-up due to Bari Weiss and actual journalistic standards being introduced.

As you’ve probably heard, the biggest departure was host Scott Pelley, who whinged to The New York Times this weekend about how he could berate management, have it somehow leaked to the media as if he were a hero (a leak which I’m sure had nothing to do with Pelley or his camp), and somehow get fired. Why, the nerve of these folks!

For those of you who missed it, your 21st-century Ted Baxter, America:

Scott Pelley says Bari Weiss asked 60 Minutes staffers: “Why do you think the country thinks you’re biased?”

Pelley: “Why do you think so? Do you have a poll? Is there market research? What are you talking about?”

“Because we certainly didn’t believe that.”

Incredible. pic.twitter.com/dFYYob38Xj

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) June 7, 2026

Scott Pelley sobs when he argues he’s just like U.S. troops because both go to war to serve the country and might even be more important because “there is no democracy without journalism”…

“Don’t care about the country? [CRYING] I’ve never worn the uniform, but I’ve been in… pic.twitter.com/omB9uteXFq

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 7, 2026

Wow, man. Wow. This brave soldier of democracy put his life on the line for his profession’s ideals, and all he got was a boss who insisted “60 Minutes” get better and win America’s trust.

But why wouldn’t we trust them? Well, how about this bit of journalisming from 2020, when CBS News’ flagship show refused to discuss Hunter Biden’s laptop because they said it wasn’t verified.

The interview aired in late October — and the section wasn’t included in the final cut, tellingly — just after it had broken that Hunter Biden’s toxic laptop was in the hands of both authorities and certain media outlets.

The laptop was reportedly dropped off at a repair shop in Delaware and forgotten while Hunter was at his lowest, which certainly made the story believable. Also, the laptop had apparently been in the hands of the FBI for some time, and they hadn’t come out to say it was false.

Yet, after Trump called it “one of the biggest scandals I’ve ever seen” because of not only the contents of the laptop but the media cover-up of it — remember, you’d get throttled for even sharing any of this on social media at the time — interviewer Leslie Stahl said she didn’t want to talk about it “because it can’t be verified.”

“Of course it can be verified,” Trump said. “Excuse me, they found the laptop — what can’t be verified?”

“The laptop,” Stahl responded.

“Why do you say that?” Trump said, noting that even the Biden family didn’t deny the laptop was Hunter’s, just that some experts said it smelled like disinformation. (It wasn’t.)

But nope: can’t be verified!

This exchange between Trump and Lesley Stahl is insane. She repeatedly insists the Biden laptops “can’t be verified” so reporters shouldn’t talk about it.

Trump asks her why it can’t be verified.

Her answer: “Because it can’t be verified.” pic.twitter.com/cf9hcSGnrm

— Anders Hagstrom (@Hagstrom_Anders) October 22, 2020

Actually, it had been well verified by the FBI as early as 2019, an Internal Revenue Service whistleblower said, and the feds had told social media companies it was legit when the story broke.

But these crack gumshoe journalists at CBS News not only couldn’t find any of this verification, it sounds as if they weren’t particularly interested in finding it, either.

Thoughts and prayers at this difficult time, “60 Minutes,” where you might actually be forced to become interested in stories that can change presidential elections. I’m so sorry for your loss.

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.