Liberal journalists are quickly turning on Chris Cuomo and CNN, demanding to know why the popular anchor is still employed at the network amid new revelations that appear to show just how involved the CNN staple may have been in attempting to protect his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) from scandals — including lurid sexual harassment allegations.
What's the very brief history here?
A newly released testimony from the New York State Attorney General's Office shows that the CNN anchor worked tirelessly with his brother's handlers to stave off bad publicity from sexual misconduct allegations.
The report adds that he even leaned on media sources who dared speak on his brother's purported misgivings.
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday released transcripts and exhibits from the investigation into the former governor, which include — but are not limited to — the CNN anchor's sworn testimony to investigators in which he admitted to using media contacts to attain information about his brother's sexual harassment accusers, in addition influencing those in the media who were covering the ever-developing saga.
Despite reports, Cuomo in August insisted, "I never made calls to the press about my brother's situation."
In a statement on the newly released documents, a spokesperson for CNN told the Daily Mail said, "The thousands of pages of additional transcripts and exhibits that were released today by the NY Attorney General deserve a thorough review and consideration. We will be having conversations and seeking additional clarity about their significance as they relate to CNN over the next several days."
At the time of this writing, the CNN anchor has yet to issue any public statements on the new developments.
You can read more on the background of the scandal here.
What are people saying?
Rolling Stone ran a critical story on Monday titled, "Chris Cuomo Caught Doing Something That Would Get Any Other Journalist Fired."
Roling Stone editor-in-chief Noah Schachtman added, "If this story is accurate, it describes a series of shocking ethical breaches — fireable offenses at any other news outlet."
If this story is accurate, it describes a series of shocking ethical breaches \u2014 fireable offenses at any other news outlet.https://twitter.com/schwartzbCNBC/status/1465404508473864198\u00a0\u2026
— Noah Shachtman (@Noah Shachtman) 1638218630
Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple tweeted, "And this is why @CNN should have conducted an internal investigation of all @ChrisCuomo actions vis-a-vis his brother's scandals. That should have happened months ago."
And this is why @CNN should have conducted an internal investigation of all @chriscuomo actions vis-a-vis his brother's scandals. That should have happened months ago: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/09/cnn-must-investigate-chris-cuomo/\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/memeorandum/status/1465412969378971650\u00a0\u2026
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) 1638216837
"Just to be clear, if anyone else on CNN's roster did this, they'd not only be fired but blacklisted from journalism period," MSNBC columnist Eric Michael Garcia also insisted.
Just to be clear, if anyone else on CNN's roster did this, they'd not only be fired but blacklisted from journalism period.https://twitter.com/schwartzbCNBC/status/1465404508473864198\u00a0\u2026
— Eric Michael Garcia (@Eric Michael Garcia) 1638215286
New York Times columnist Jane Coaston appeared on "The View" on Tuesday, where she said, "This is a massive ethical breach. If you work at a news agency like I do, we do, you understand that there are just basic things like if you found out that an intern did this they'd be gone a second after these text messages came in. This is an abuse of power."
She added, "The only reason that Chris Cuomo was able to do any of this, get sources on some of [his brother's] accusers ... you see in these text messages how it is not just Chris Cuomo, to be clear. You see people talking about these accusers like they are just nuisances."
Co-host Joy Behar agreed, and said, "I understand the inclination to help your brother ... but you don’t use your position in the media to help him. Whether he should be fired, that’s for [CNN president] Jeff Zucker to decide. There’s a lot in this story that doesn’t feel right, although I do appreciate the Cuomo family very much."
Slate on Tuesday published an article titled "It's Time for CNN to Can Chris Cuomo for Being Full of Crap."
The Atlantic ran an article titled "Chris Cuomo Must Go."
Matt Pearce, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, added, "This is an embarrassment to journalism."
This is an embarrassment to journalism.https://twitter.com/schwartzbCNBC/status/1465404508473864198\u00a0\u2026
— Matt Pearce \ud83e\udd85 (@Matt Pearce \ud83e\udd85) 1638220210
Erin B. Logan, a reporter for the Times, chimed in, "[A]mazing that Chris Cuomo still has a cushy job at CNN after flagrantly violating journalistic ethics."
amazing that Chris Cuomo still has a cushy job at CNN after flagrantly violating journalistic ethicshttps://twitter.com/schwartzbCNBC/status/1465404508473864198\u00a0\u2026
— Erin B. Logan (@Erin B. Logan) 1638216043
Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann also shared a report about the alleged misconduct, and added, "And now he has to be fired[.]"
And now he has to be firedhttps://twitter.com/schwartzbcnbc/status/1465404508473864198\u00a0\u2026
— Keith Olbermann (@Keith Olbermann) 1638216949