With his own new broadcast set to launch a week from tomorrow, former CBS Evening News EP Rome Hartman is speaking out about one of his former colleagues: Dan Rather, and his $70M lawsuit against CBS, Viacom, and three execs. From CNN's Reliable Sources:

KURTZ: Rome Hartman, you once worked for Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, more recently you worked alongside him at 60 Minutes. What was your reaction upon hearing that he had taken this extraordinary step of suing CBS?

HARTMAN: Well, Howard, more than anything, it made me sad. I just — it made me sad for him and for CBS News. I don't understand why he would choose to dredge back into the spotlight what's undoubtedly going to be remembered as the darkest moment of his career and a very dark moment for CBS News.

KURTZ: Do you think it is about the $70 million in damages he's seeking?

HARTMAN: No, I don't. I take him at his word that it's not about the money. I think it's about Dan's very sincere desire to find vindication in this affair. The problem is, I just don't think
that's how it is going to end up.

Hartman is the EP of BBC World News America which premieres Oct. 1 at 7pmET.