Chris Cuomo demands $125 million from CNN and accuses the network of smearing his reputation
Ousted CNN anchor Chris Cuomo demanded $125 million from the news network in an arbitration filing that claimed his reputation had been smeared.
Cuomo was fired after an investigation into claims that he improperly helped his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, during the numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault made against him.
In the arbitration filing against CNN, Cuomo claimed he was unjustifiably fired and asked for compensation for the loss of future wages.
“As a result of Turner’s indefensible choice to unceremoniously fire him, Cuomo has been damaged in countless ways. Cuomo has had his journalistic integrity unjustifiably smeared, making it difficult if not impossible for Cuomo to find similar work in the future and damaging him in amounts exceeding $125 million,” the filing read, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Turner’s unjustifiable termination of Cuomo reflects nothing more than an apparent rush to judgment and caving to uninformed public and internal pressure that was based on speculation and assumption rather than facts and evidence," it continued.
The investigation that led to Cuomo's firing also led to the disclosure of the improper relationship between Jeff Zucker, who was the CEO of CNN at the time, and Allison Gollust, another top executive at the network. Both resigned soon after the revelation.
Cuomo's filing claimed that he kept Zucker and Gollust updated about his activities and thereby believed he had approval for what he was doing.
“CNN, including Zucker and Gollust, knew of Cuomo’s role as a confidant and sounding board to his brother, and the details of his interactions with Gov. Cuomo and his staff," the filing read. "Cuomo had no reason to believe that his assistance to Gov. Cuomo was inconsistent with CNN’s or Turner’s policies nor its expectations, especially given the fact that Zucker and Gollust had encouraged him to do so and had themselves provided advice to Gov. Cuomo.”
Here's more about Cuomo's firing from CNN:
Why CNN fired Chris Cuomo | New York Postwww.youtube.com