CNN anchor Chris Cuomo offered advice on a statement by his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, addressing allegations of sexual harassment as recently as February, according to a report issued on Tuesday.
And it has media personalities at Fox News, MSNBC, and even CNN calling it a “disgrace” that Chris Cuomo hasn’t been fired.
“The fact that Chris Cuomo wasn’t fired over his inappropriate conflict of interest in actively affecting a news story is not only irresponsible of CNN, but also a disgrace to journalism,” one CNN insider reportedly told BuzzFeed News.
The CNN prime-time personality testified to investigators looking into his older brother’s numerous alleged sex crimes. His name appears four times in the 165-page report issued by New York Attorney General Letitia James as one of several outside advisers who were “regularly provided with confidential and often privileged information” that impacted the government despite having no “formal role, duty, or obligation to the State.”
The report’s appendix included a copy of an email sent Feb. 27, 2021 by Chris Cuomo to his brother’s advisers on a suggested public statement that the governor never intended to offend anyone or cause harm with his behavior. It was not clear whether Chris Cuomo had composed the statement himself or was reacting to suggestions by others.
In the email, it was suggested that Andrew Cuomo say that “sometimes I am playful and make jokes … My only desire is to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business.”
CNN directed reporters to past statements it had made about Cuomo, and had no other immediate comment on Tuesday. As of Wednesday afternoon, Chris Cuomo was still working for the network despite his clear conflict of interest.
He made no mention of the story on his show Tuesday night. Still, a crawl running on the bottom of CNN’s screen detailed the story about his brother as he handed it off to Don Lemon at 10 p.m. Lemon made the charges against Gov. Cuomo his lead story.
Of course, this isn’t the first time this year Chris Cuomo was caught helping his famous brother. Earlier this year, CNN said that Cuomo had acted inappropriately following a story in The Washington Post that he had participated in strategy calls with his brother’s advisers.
And he regularly had the governor on his show during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, lobbing softball questions about his response.
The report issued by the New York Attorney General on Tuesday accused the governor of sexually harassing 11 women inside and outside of New York government.
Andrew Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi described the group of advisers who met periodically as “people who have been with us for a long time who we could trust.”
In past statements, CNN has said that Chris Cuomo has not been involved in the network’s coverage of harassment allegations against his brother.
But the calls for Chris Cuomo’s removal have gotten louder since the New York Attorney General report shows he remains actively engaged in helping politicians.
Keith Olbermann, an outspoken liberal commentator, said that CNN continuing to defend Chris Cuomo was “an intolerable conflict of interest” and they “cannot keep [him] on air.”
This is an intolerable conflict of interest for @cnn. You cannot have an anchor formally consulting his brother on how to handle the media, when he has outsized influence on how a large player in the media covers his brother (or doesn’t). They cannot keep @ChrisCuomo on air. https://t.co/pFEuMstrnt
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 3, 2021
MSNBC’s Laura Bassett wrote an opinion piece calling for Chris’ immediate resignation or firing.
“It’s extremely inappropriate and unethical for a journalist to advise and craft the statements of a politician, regardless of family relation,” she wrote Tuesday.
“New Yorkers deserve better than a lying, harassing, misogynistic creep presiding over the state,” Bassett concluded. “And CNN’s viewers deserve better than a news anchor who is working on behalf of a politician he covers and helps to manipulate public opinion of him. Both Cuomo brothers have amassed massive power and influence, while betraying public trust. And both brothers must go.”
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