After a thorough investigation uncovered a pattern of repeated sexual harassment by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — charges that the news anchor surreptitiously helped his brother fight against — CNN is standing behind primetime star Chris Cuomo.
The governor grabbed, kissed, or made improper or provocative comments to 11 women, the majority of whom were current or former state workers, according to a bombshell report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday. Independent investigators also found that the governor and his top staff had created a "toxic" work environment, with one former employee being retaliated against for coming out with claims.
Following that, the governor delivered a strong public address, denying any wrongdoing and defying calls for him to resign immediately. The bombshell story sent shockwaves across Albany and Washington, DC, as well as within CNN, where workers who talked with BuzzFeed News slammed the corporation for not disciplining Chris Cuomo for his participation in the incident.
“I believe it is our job as journalists to operate in the most responsible manner possible, not just to retain journalistic integrity, but also to restore public faith in journalism and television news,” said one current CNN worker, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely. “And CNN's failure to remove Chris Cuomo over his improper conflict of interest in actively influencing a news story is not just reckless, but also a disgrace to journalism.”
Chris Cuomo, as the Washington Post first revealed in May, was instrumental in shaping his brother's public reaction to the sexual harassment allegations. The CNN anchor allegedly advised the governor not just to refuse to resign, but also to dismiss the claims, calling to them as the consequence of "cancel culture."
Shortly after, a CNN representative stated that the anchor will face no disciplinary punishment as a result of what was generally seen as an egregious breach of journalistic standards. The anchor was not engaged in reporting on the sexual harassment claims because he "could never be neutral" and "often serves as a sounding board for his brother," according to a statement from the network, although he confessed his actions were "inappropriate." Chris Cuomo apologized on his show, claiming that his involvement was a "mistake" and that it will not happen again.
The TV journalist's involvement in planning for the accused governor was confirmed in Tuesday's inquiry report. Chris Cuomo suggested in an email contained in the report that the governor minimizes the charges by saying, "Sometimes I will be fun and make jokes," and that he did so to provide "some lightness and banter to what is a very serious job."
CNN made just a few on-air comments of Chris Cuomo's part in the scandal after the article was released on Tuesday. News presenter John King told viewers that his colleague was interviewed for the story "as someone who sought out and talked to his brother as this crisis unfolded," but he didn't elaborate on the nature of the strategic counsel or the email that investigators highlighted.
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