CNN anchor Chris Cuomo suspended over helping ex-New York governor brother
Dec 01, 2021
Washington [US], December 1 : CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has been suspended indefinitely over help he gave to his ex-New York Governor brother when he was battling sex abuse allegations.
CNN said it is suspending prime time anchor Chris Cuomo "indefinitely, pending further evaluation," after new documents revealed the cosy and improper nature of his relationship with aides to his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo's 9 p.m. program is frequently CNN's most-watched hour of the day.
He is a larger-than-life presence at the network, CNN said.
But new documents released on Monday showed that the veteran journalist was more intimately involved than previously known in shaping his brother's defence.
"The New York Attorney General's office released transcripts and exhibits Monday that shed new light on Chris Cuomo's involvement in his brother's defence," a CNN spokesperson said Tuesday evening.
"The documents, which we were not privy to before their public release, raise serious questions."
"When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother's staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly," the spokesperson continued. "But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second."
"However, these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother's efforts than we previously knew," the spokesperson added. "As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation."
The suspension came after significant criticism from people who noted that Chris Cuomo had violated widely accepted journalistic norms.
Multiple women, including former and current aides, have accused the governor of inappropriate remarks and behaviour, including unwanted touching and unwelcome sexual advances, as reported by Al Jazeera.
However, Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing, while suggesting that his relationships with employees he viewed as friends may have been misinterpreted.
