Photo: EW

CNN Prime Time anchor Chris Cuomo was suspended “indefinitely, pending further evaluation” by network after speculative link on brother’s sexual misconduct allegations. 

Chris Cuomo, 51, anchor of top rated show Cuomo Prime Time, had efforts assisting his brother, former governor of New York, on his sexual harrasment scandal. Details of his aids have emerged. 

Andrew Cuomo, 63, is a former New York City governor. The longest-tenured United States governor resigned on August 23, 2021  due to outpouring series of sexual harrasment accusations.

Prior to this suspension, Chris had apologized for counseling Andrew Cuomo’s senior political aides. However, State Attorney General Letitia James released evidence disclosing Chris’ involvement and revealing thousands of documents and text messages showing the anchor’s intimate role to his brother’s defense. 

CNN released a statement that said, “The thousands of pages of additional transcripts and exhibits that were released today by the NY Attorney General deserves 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.” 

Chris was revealed to be actively in touch with Andrew Cuomos’ top aide at the time, Melissa DeRosa, giving her statements for his brother’s use and using his media influence to track the older Cuomo’s accusers. 

The text message from the younger Cuomo read, “I will not resign, I cannot resign. I understand the political pressure I understand the stakes of political warfare, and that’s what this is … And I understand the conformity that can be forced by cancel culture.”

This sparked statements from other journalists as well. The Independent senior Washington correspondent Eric Michael Garcia retweeted Brian Schwartz’s, CNBC political finance reporter, tweet with the statement that said, “Just to be clear, if anyone else on CNN’s roster did this, they’d not only be fired but blacklisted from journalism period.”