CNN cans Chris Cuomo for aiding his brother, ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, in sexual harassment scandal
Chris Cuomo put his brother before his journalistic ethics, and it cost him his job.
CNN fired the cable news star on Saturday, four days after suspending him for aiding the sex harassment defense of his big brother, ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Chris worked with his brother’s crisis-management team after multiple women said Andrew Cuomo touched them inappropriately, belittled them and made disrespectful comments about them.
The scandal and its fallout brought down both brothers: Andrew resigned as governor in August.
“This is not how I want my time at CNN to end, but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” Chris said in a statement.
“So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be any more proud of the team at ‘Cuomo Prime Time’ and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot. I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”
He had been at CNN since 2013. The cable giant hired him away from ABC, where he had stints on “20/20″ and “Good Morning America.”
CNN originally had a policy barring him from interviewing his brother. It was lifted during the early days of COVID-19, and the Cuomo brothers became must-see TV in the early days of the pandemic.
Chris, 51, previously apologized for “advising” his brother Andrew.
But documents released by New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed that Cuomo downplayed how much he really “advised” his brother, who is older by 12 years.
Facing a firestorm of criticism, Andrew Cuomo announced on Aug. 10 he would resign as governor effective Aug. 24. Chris Cuomo’s termination on Saturday was effective immediately.
Though CNN fired Cuomo, the network promised to continue the investigation. In a statement Saturday, CNN said “additional information has come to light” leading to his firing.
The statement was unclear about whether that “additional information” came from CNN’s private investigation or the documents released by James that led to his suspension.
Those papers showed that in messages to Andrew’s public relations team, Chris said he would reach out to “sources” and “other journalists” to find out what they knew about his older brother’s spiraling sexual harassment scandal.
In one case, he appeared to be trying to dig up dirt on one of Andrew’s alleged victims, Anna Ruch, 31.
Cuomo told the ex-governor’s team that he had “a lead” on Ruch, who said Andrew Cuomo asked to kiss her at a 2019 wedding.
CNN said when it suspended Chris Cuomo on Tuesday that his actions raised “serious questions.” Chris Cuomo had his own show, “Cuomo Prime Time,” which debuted in 2017 and was highly rated.
The network said it was clear that Chris Cuomo put “family first and job second” but added they “appreciated” his unique situation as a member of a powerful family.
CNN said it knew nothing of the details that James dropped in the 169-page report released Monday, which allowed the public to finally view the full probe.
That investigation, completed in early August, led directly to Andrew’s resignation. James’ team found the governor harassed at least 11 women. The then-governor was defiant while resigning, refusing to admit wrongdoing.
James is running in next year’s Democratic primary for governor. The findings of her office’s probe — which was conducted by independent investigators she appointed — were supported by a state Assembly impeachment report published at the end of November.
Before his firing, Chris commented Wednesday on his suspension while hosting his Sirius XM show.
“Quick note about the obvious. I’ve been suspended from CNN,” he said. “You know this already. It hurts to even say it. It’s embarrassing, but I understand it. And I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past. I mean it.”
