Chris Cuomo Nabbed Yet Again, Embroiled With Brother's Scandal

Looks like CNN has yet another scandal to deal with in regard to its anchor Chris Cuomo.

Remember when Cuomo was busted in May for helping his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his sexual harassment scandal? The recent New York State Attorney General’s report confirmed that he was deeply involved in helping him.

At that time, Chris Cuomo said that he was aware that was a problem and CNN promised it would never happen again.

Chris Cuomo defends giving his brother Gov. Andrew Cuomo advice to survive sexual misconduct scandals: "Family first, job second."
He claims he's "never tried to influence" CNN's coverage of his brother. Claims he's "walled off from it." But what about their pandemic interviews? pic.twitter.com/u68ZTx7eME

— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) May 21, 2021

From Fox News:

“When my brother’s situation became turbulent, being looped into calls with other friends of his and advisers that did include some of his staff, I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again,” Cuomo said in May. “It was a mistake, because I put my colleagues here, who I believe are the best in the business, in a bad spot. I never intended for that. I would never intend for that and I am sorry for that.” [….]

“It was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the Governor’s staff, which Chris acknowledges. He will not participate in such conversations going forward,” CNN said in a statement back in May.

Yet despite that, it’s now being reported that Chris Cuomo is still advising him, even now, according to the Washington Examiner, citing a Washington Post report.

“Cuomo, who is ensconced in the governor’s mansion in Albany and has not been coming to the office, is left with few advisers. Rich Azzopardi, his longtime spokesman, has said he plans to stay in his post. The governor also continues to confer with longtime adviser Charlie King, a lobbyist at the public strategy firm Mercury, as well as his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, according to people familiar with the situation,” the report said. […]

A person familiar with the situation told the Washington Examiner on Monday that Chris Cuomo has not joined any meetings that involved his brother’s team or offered advice in an official capacity to the governor since May, which is in line with the network’s expectations.

So he might be technically adhering with what they said, i.e., not joining meetings with staff, but still being involved with advising him which would seem to me to be the bigger question.

Let’s start with why would anyone be taking advice from Chris Cuomo (not the sharpest tool in the drawer)? Perhaps that explains why the Cuomos continue to blow up with scandal and can’t seem to extricate themselves. Maybe Chris is the only one who will take Andrew’s calls anymore. But once again, this puts CNN in a box — they’ve failed to take action against Chris Cuomo. They threw their credibility down the toilet (granted that there wasn’t really any of that with them, to begin with) when they let Chris have Andrew on his show to pimp him as a hero against the pandemic. But now, the problem continues despite them saying it wouldn’t happen again.

Critics are letting CNN and Chris Cuomo have it for this mess.

Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post is calling for him to be suspended without pay.

“On Monday evening,” Sullivan states, “Chris Cuomo won’t be on the air as he starts a supposedly long-planned vacation. It should be turned into — at least — an unpaid suspension of significant length. And CNN should be transparent with its viewers that its anchor acted unethically and that the network won’t countenance it. For the network with dozens of bureaus around the world and some 4,000 employees, it’s a cop-out.”