Once again, thanks to CNN host Chris Cuomo, we learn that the 'divide' between left-wing Democratic politics and the 'mainstream' media is about as wide as two pieces of thread laying side by side.
In recent months, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, brother of the CNN personality, was forced to resign following revelations by nearly a dozen women that he had either sexually harassed them or otherwise acted in a sexually inappropriate manner. In fact, the New York attorney general's office, led by Letitia James (who is now running for governor, by the way) found during an investigation that the governor likely broke both state and federal laws, but decided not to prosecute him anyway.
During this time, Chris Cuomo was forced to admit on-air that he had been in contact with his brother and his brother's office offering advice (Chris Cuomo is a lawyer by education) on how best to deal with the allegations, even going so far as to tell his brother to push back on them and not to resign.
But it turns out that Chris Cuomo's involvement was much more significant, as the American Wire reports:
CNN executives said Monday they’re going to have more “conversations” with network host Chris Cuomo in an attempt to obtain “additional clarity” following revelations from a New York attorney general’s report that he was more deeply involved in his brother’s sexual harassment scandal than he previously disclosed.
According to just-released testimony from the NY AG’s probe into former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the “Cuomo Prime Time” host was heavily involved with his brother’s inner circle in an effort to push back on several sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against him. The AG also found that the CNN host relied on media sources regarding the reporting that was being done regarding Andrew Cuomo’s accusers.
“The thousands of pages of additional transcripts and exhibits that were released today by the NY Attorney General deserve a thorough review and consideration,” the network said in a Monday statement.
“We will be having conversations and seeking additional clarity about their significance as they relate to CNN over the next several days,” the statement added.
Among additional materials, New York investigators released texts showing that the former governor's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, asked about "intel" that the CNN host obtained from media sources and contacts including information about a March story by Ronan Farrow detailing allegations against Andrew Cuomo that was published in the New Yorker. Chris Cuomo told DeRosa that the story was not yet ready for publication; three days later, on March 18, it was published, however.
That particular text contradicts what Chris Cuomo told his viewers in August when he claimed, "I never made calls to the press about my brother's situation."
Chris Cuomo also admitted to state investigators that he provided his brother's office with messaging recommendations regarding how he was handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Please let me help with the prep,” Chris Cuomo said in a text to DeRosa.
Still other messages showed that Chris and DeRosa briefly bickered about a March 9 Albany Times-Union story that revealed the sixth accuser.
“Why didnt you tell him abt potential ATU intv with 6?” Chris wrote.
“I asked u not to say anything until I talked to him,” DeRosa replied.
“That was a day ago,” Cuomo shot back. “Stop hiding s**t.”
These new revelations have also led to new calls for CNN to fire Cuomo for a substantial breach of journalistic standards.
“If this story is accurate, it describes a series of shocking ethical breaches — fireable offenses at any other news outlet,” Rolling Stone editor-in-chief Noah Schachtman wrote online.
“Just to be clear, if anyone else on CNN’s roster did this, they’d not only be fired but blacklisted from journalism period,” noted MSNBC columnist Eric Michael Garcia.
“It’s hard to imagine any news executive keeping Chris Cuomo on staff after today’s revelations. Then again, as CNN likes to say, ‘THIS is CNN,’” Columbia Journalism School professor Bill Grueskin wrote.
https://twitter.com/NoahShachtman/status/1465421266027003912
https://twitter.com/EricMGarcia/status/1465407241113198602
https://twitter.com/BGrueskin/status/1465413007983394823
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