Tory Wegerski
@producertory.bsky.social
Investigative journalist & news producer for CBS News Pittsburgh. Professionally nebby. SAG-AFTRA steward. Unionize your newsroom. If I had opinions they'd be mine alone.
Pinned
Do you work for the federal government in Pittsburgh? Are you a researcher or scientist affected by the new administration? Do you have a story tip?
I'm an investigative journalist; get in touch!
Work email: twegerski@cbs.com
Proton email: torywegerski@proton.me
Signal: @torywegerski.25
I'm an investigative journalist; get in touch!
Work email: twegerski@cbs.com
Proton email: torywegerski@proton.me
Signal: @torywegerski.25
Sending this out again for anyone in Pittsburgh who lost their NEA grant last week, or is fighting for their NSF money, or who is being RIF'd from their fed job, or who wants to tell an investigative journalist anything, really. You can be anonymized and you will be protected.
Merry Christmas; please enjoy this :03 clip of Edward R. Purrow.
December 25, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Merry Christmas; please enjoy this :03 clip of Edward R. Purrow.
Officially Christmas because we're finally watching the greatest Christmas movie of them all
December 25, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Officially Christmas because we're finally watching the greatest Christmas movie of them all
Federal court documents have now been filed on this arrest; the man is facing a single charge of assaulting or resisting an officer. ICE agents say they initially went to detain him because he tried to buy a gun from a licensed dealer and claimed on his background check to be a U.S. citizen.
In a brutal abduction incident on December 18, 2025, ICE In Pittsburgh subjected a man to a horrific ordeal, involving beatings, pepper spraying, and choking.
December 24, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Federal court documents have now been filed on this arrest; the man is facing a single charge of assaulting or resisting an officer. ICE agents say they initially went to detain him because he tried to buy a gun from a licensed dealer and claimed on his background check to be a U.S. citizen.
My first thought was "sounds like a print journalism thing since making up quotes is not an option over here in broadcast" and then my critical thinking skills caught up with the rest of my brain. Splice splice, baby.
when i had just gotten into journalism (and had been reading a lot of new journalism) i always wondered whether i was just worse at interviewing people because my quotes were never as good as the ones in the stories i loved. when i found out why i was fairly amused
I thought, based on the social media-fication of the @rachelaviv.bsky.social Oliver Sacks piece, that Sacks had invented patients wholesale. But instead it’s what was once seemingly secretly acceptable among highbrow writers: making up quotes and details about people to make them more interesting.
December 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
My first thought was "sounds like a print journalism thing since making up quotes is not an option over here in broadcast" and then my critical thinking skills caught up with the rest of my brain. Splice splice, baby.
In my opinion strictly as a journalist: I would include the WH response as an anchor tag outside of the package. It doesn't have a place in the story itself b/c it's not responsive to the story itself. But it does demonstrate the WH's position overall.
As "60 Minutes" finalized its "Inside CECOT" report last Thursday, CBS sent the White House a request for comment. A WH spokesperson responded within a few hours. The quote was not included in the "60" report – so, judge for yourself whether it should have been included or not >>>
December 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
In my opinion strictly as a journalist: I would include the WH response as an anchor tag outside of the package. It doesn't have a place in the story itself b/c it's not responsive to the story itself. But it does demonstrate the WH's position overall.
Reposted by Tory Wegerski
Multiple social media users noticed on Monday that the 60 Minutes episode was available via the Global TV app. To view the episode, viewers need to connect to the app from a Canadian IP address.
People then uploaded copies of the episode to a variety of file sharing sites and services.
People then uploaded copies of the episode to a variety of file sharing sites and services.
Archivists Posted the 60 Minutes CECOT Segment Bari Weiss Killed
iCloud, Mega, and as a torrent. Archivists have uploaded the 60 Minutes episode Bari Weiss spiked.
www.404media.co
December 23, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Multiple social media users noticed on Monday that the 60 Minutes episode was available via the Global TV app. To view the episode, viewers need to connect to the app from a Canadian IP address.
People then uploaded copies of the episode to a variety of file sharing sites and services.
People then uploaded copies of the episode to a variety of file sharing sites and services.
WCPO in Cincinnati had a betamax tape archive of newscasts. For the 40th commemoration of the Easter Sunday Massacre, I went to pull the newscast from 1975 and in the box found Al Schottelkotte's typewritten script on onionskin with his handwritten pencil edits.
Maybe not "crazy," but very cool.
Maybe not "crazy," but very cool.
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 22, 2025 at 4:38 PM
WCPO in Cincinnati had a betamax tape archive of newscasts. For the 40th commemoration of the Easter Sunday Massacre, I went to pull the newscast from 1975 and in the box found Al Schottelkotte's typewritten script on onionskin with his handwritten pencil edits.
Maybe not "crazy," but very cool.
Maybe not "crazy," but very cool.
Reposted by Tory Wegerski
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Hell yeah Sidney Crosby!!!
December 22, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Hell yeah Sidney Crosby!!!
Time to start digging.
December 14, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Time to start digging.
No YOU are flopping around your house on surgical pain meds taking pictures of your cat
December 12, 2025 at 8:14 PM
No YOU are flopping around your house on surgical pain meds taking pictures of your cat
Video editor friend now markets his business as AI-free. All choices and decisions made by a human brain and hand. He's absolutely slammed with work -- especially from wealthy parents hiring him to edit family videos b/c they don't want their kids used in AI data.
People hate AI.
People hate AI.
December 11, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Video editor friend now markets his business as AI-free. All choices and decisions made by a human brain and hand. He's absolutely slammed with work -- especially from wealthy parents hiring him to edit family videos b/c they don't want their kids used in AI data.
People hate AI.
People hate AI.
Reposted by Tory Wegerski
This is really incredible. The government's battle to deport Abrego Garcia has apparently been based on a lie from the start. Not even the "gang affiliation" lie or the "human smuggling" lie, but the more basic assertion that he was ordered to be deported in the first place.
🚨Judge Xinis finds that, incredibly, Mr. Abrego Garcia was never ordered deported in 2019. She notes that every since this saga began all the way back in March, the government has NEVER been able to produce any evidence that the immigration judge actually issued a removal order.
December 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
This is really incredible. The government's battle to deport Abrego Garcia has apparently been based on a lie from the start. Not even the "gang affiliation" lie or the "human smuggling" lie, but the more basic assertion that he was ordered to be deported in the first place.
I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for the next week and both Edward R. Purrow and Samwise are over that limit. Right now they are snuggling each other and looking at me like "haha, bitch, you're not invited."
December 10, 2025 at 4:37 AM
I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for the next week and both Edward R. Purrow and Samwise are over that limit. Right now they are snuggling each other and looking at me like "haha, bitch, you're not invited."
I am still so pissed about Chase deciding the money wasn't stolen because the thief used my actual card. $317 for Christmas presents, stolen and spent at a vape shop, and Chase won't reimburse me. I feel like I got robbed twice.
I mean look at this dork I don't use Yinzer as an insult but come on a Steelers jacket AND a Pirates hat??
December 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I am still so pissed about Chase deciding the money wasn't stolen because the thief used my actual card. $317 for Christmas presents, stolen and spent at a vape shop, and Chase won't reimburse me. I feel like I got robbed twice.
Coming out of anesthesia yesterday from abdominal surgery, I apparently demanded to see pictures of all the nurses' pets. So it's nice to know I'm exactly the same person on drugs as I am sober.
December 6, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Coming out of anesthesia yesterday from abdominal surgery, I apparently demanded to see pictures of all the nurses' pets. So it's nice to know I'm exactly the same person on drugs as I am sober.
Reposted by Tory Wegerski
"Can you do investigative journalism from a position of neutrality?"
Still a tricky subject because if you're not neutral that suggests bias. But if you go where the facts go it doesn't.
From: "Laura Poitras Investigates Seymour Hersh," in Columbia Journalism Preview: www.cjr.org/the-intervie...
Still a tricky subject because if you're not neutral that suggests bias. But if you go where the facts go it doesn't.
From: "Laura Poitras Investigates Seymour Hersh," in Columbia Journalism Preview: www.cjr.org/the-intervie...
December 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
"Can you do investigative journalism from a position of neutrality?"
Still a tricky subject because if you're not neutral that suggests bias. But if you go where the facts go it doesn't.
From: "Laura Poitras Investigates Seymour Hersh," in Columbia Journalism Preview: www.cjr.org/the-intervie...
Still a tricky subject because if you're not neutral that suggests bias. But if you go where the facts go it doesn't.
From: "Laura Poitras Investigates Seymour Hersh," in Columbia Journalism Preview: www.cjr.org/the-intervie...
I mean look at this dork I don't use Yinzer as an insult but come on a Steelers jacket AND a Pirates hat??
December 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
I mean look at this dork I don't use Yinzer as an insult but come on a Steelers jacket AND a Pirates hat??
Woke up to discover that Chase has reversed its reversal of the $300 the wallet thief spent at the vape store because "the card was present at the transaction"
Yes Chase that is because the man stole my wallet
I went to the store and got the surveillance video myself
This is hell and I am in it
Yes Chase that is because the man stole my wallet
I went to the store and got the surveillance video myself
This is hell and I am in it
December 5, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Woke up to discover that Chase has reversed its reversal of the $300 the wallet thief spent at the vape store because "the card was present at the transaction"
Yes Chase that is because the man stole my wallet
I went to the store and got the surveillance video myself
This is hell and I am in it
Yes Chase that is because the man stole my wallet
I went to the store and got the surveillance video myself
This is hell and I am in it
So the "they radioed for backup" part was being repeated by other news outlets this afternoon, leading to the question of where that apparent lie originated.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
Exclusive: Survivors clinging to capsized boat didn’t radio for backup, admiral overseeing double-tap strike tells lawmakers | CNN Politics
The two men killed as they floated holding onto their capsized boat in a secondary strike against a suspected drug vessel in early September did not appear to have radio or other communications device...
www.cnn.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:40 AM
So the "they radioed for backup" part was being repeated by other news outlets this afternoon, leading to the question of where that apparent lie originated.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
Reposted by Tory Wegerski
BREAKING: The FBI makes an arrest in the investigation into pipe bombs placed in D.C. on the eve of the Jan. 6 riot, an AP source says.
FBI makes arrest in investigation into pipe bombs placed in DC on eve of Jan. 6 riot, AP source says
The FBI has made an arrest in its nearly 5-year-old investigation into who placed pipe bombs in Washington before the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
bit.ly
December 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
BREAKING: The FBI makes an arrest in the investigation into pipe bombs placed in D.C. on the eve of the Jan. 6 riot, an AP source says.
In 5th grade I described a fantastical planetary ring in a creative writing story as an ouroboros and my teacher failed me and called my parents to ask which of them had written my assignment for me and they were like "no that was definitely all her" and then my mom got mad at me for writing sci-fi.
In sixth grade I used the word "stolid" in a paper and my teacher marked it as a spelling error, then accused me of cheating when I tried to argue, so I like to put it into each of my books as a cute little fuck you to that lady.
December 4, 2025 at 2:47 AM
In 5th grade I described a fantastical planetary ring in a creative writing story as an ouroboros and my teacher failed me and called my parents to ask which of them had written my assignment for me and they were like "no that was definitely all her" and then my mom got mad at me for writing sci-fi.
DOJ: ChatGPT encouraged Pittsburgh man to continue his podcast used to stalk and harass women he met at gyms, because "it was creating ‘haters,’ which meant monetization." Suspect is now facing a multiple-count indictment for violent stalking.
ChatGPT Told a Violent Stalker to Embrace the 'Haters,' Indictment Says
A newly filed indictment claims a wannabe influencer used ChatGPT as his "therapist" and "best friend" in his pursuit of the "wife type," while harassing women so aggressively they had to miss work a...
www.404media.co
December 3, 2025 at 6:20 PM
DOJ: ChatGPT encouraged Pittsburgh man to continue his podcast used to stalk and harass women he met at gyms, because "it was creating ‘haters,’ which meant monetization." Suspect is now facing a multiple-count indictment for violent stalking.
this just dredged up a memory from my years in NYC when some of my professional dominatrix friends told me about a frequent flyer client they'd nicknamed "Mental Dental"
anyway don't know why I thought of that
anyway don't know why I thought of that
Hey, quick question about this photo from Epstein's island: What the fuck
December 3, 2025 at 5:49 PM
this just dredged up a memory from my years in NYC when some of my professional dominatrix friends told me about a frequent flyer client they'd nicknamed "Mental Dental"
anyway don't know why I thought of that
anyway don't know why I thought of that
Trying to track down a source from a story I did back in 2022 and it turns out the reason I haven't heard from them in a couple years is they've been in federal prison for drug trafficking
Welp
Welp
December 3, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Trying to track down a source from a story I did back in 2022 and it turns out the reason I haven't heard from them in a couple years is they've been in federal prison for drug trafficking
Welp
Welp