Chris Cuomo is officially out at CNN, the network confirmed in a statement on Dec. 4. The news comes after he tried to help brother Andrew navigate a sexual harassment scandal.
Chris Cuomo, 50, has been fired from CNN. The cable news network confirmed the move via a statement issued on Saturday, Dec. 4. “Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s defense,” they said in reference to his older brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 63, via Twitter.
“We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately. While in the process of that review, additional information has come to light. Despite the termination, we will investigate as appropriate,” CNN also said. The termination comes after Chris, who hosted Cuomo Prime Time, was suspended “indefinitely” on Tuesday, Nov. 30 amid an investigation opened over allegations he had helped his older brother respond to sexual harassment allegations.
The 50-year-old New York native responded to the news via Twitter shortly after. “This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” he began in the message, which was a screenshot of a note taken on his iPhone. Notably, Chris had the highest rated show on CNN.
“So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot,” he went on. “I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work,” he signed off.
Days ago, CNN said that “serious questions” were raised about Chris’ involvement in Andrew’s strategy, particularly after transcripts were released by the New York Attorney General’s office which put into question his ethics as a journalist. The investigation was in stark contrast to the support CNN president Jeff Zucker had provided weeks ago. At the time, Jeff said Chris was “human” but had faced a “very unique set of circumstances.”
Chris broke his silence after being on suspension via his Sirius XM show Let’s Get After It on Dec. 1. “You know this already. It hurts to even say it. It’s embarrassing,” he confessed. “I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past, I mean it…The last thing I ever wanted to do was compromise any of my colleagues and do anything but help,” Chris also said in the candid conversation, saying he “respected” CNN’s process as they figured out their next move.