CNN Fires Chris Cuomo Above Part in Andrew Cuomo’s Scandal
As governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo was a top countrywide determine in the pandemic response. Chris Cuomo began interviewing him in primary time, and their teasing banter and psychological discussions turned a hit with viewers. Scores surged more just after Chris Cuomo contracted the virus he continued broadcasting, and interviewing his brother, from quarantine in the basement of his Very long Island property. Mr. Zucker praised the segments for their “authenticity and relatability and vulnerability.”
“That’s what the brothers Cuomo are supplying us suitable now,” Mr. Zucker explained to The Periods in April 2020.
The next yr, as Andrew Cuomo was facing a rising amount of sexual harassment accusations, Chris Cuomo recused himself from reporting on the scandal, leaving a primary-time gap in CNN’s coverage of what was turning out to be a national information story.
At the very same time, away from the anchor desk, Chris Cuomo was collaborating in technique classes with the governor’s top aides. It also emerged that Andrew Cuomo had arranged for his brother’s Covid checks to get priority therapy by the point out. CNN did not discipline Chris Cuomo, and at a single point presented the anchor a depart of absence if he wished to additional formally aid his brother.
Soon after Andrew Cuomo resigned, Chris Cuomo defended himself on the Aug. 16 episode of his plan. “I’m not an adviser, I’m a brother,” the anchor mentioned. “I never attacked nor inspired anybody to attack any female who came forward. I never ever designed calls to the push about my brother’s problem.”
But the new batch of testimony and text messages prompt that Mr. Cuomo did perform as an adviser and did get to out to journalists. “When questioned, I would reach out to sources, other journalists, to see if they had read of any individual else coming out,” he advised investigators.
On May 20, Mr. Cuomo started his CNN program by apologizing to viewers about his discussions with his brother’s political team, declaring himself “family initially, work second.”
“Being a journalist, and a brother to a politician, is distinctive, and a distinctive problem, and I have a exclusive accountability to stability people roles,” Mr. Cuomo reported then. “It’s not usually uncomplicated.”
