Chris Cuomo, who has been suspended by CNN “indefinitely” over involvement with his brother’s efforts to fend off sex abuse allegations, said the suspension is embarrassing, but understandable.
Cuomo offered some brief remarks regarding CNN’s decision on his SiriusXM radio show.
“It’s embarrassing. But I understand it. And I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past, and I mean it,” he said.
He reiterated that he never intended to “compromise any of my colleagues,” and that he only wanted to help.
I know they have a process that they think is important. I respect that process. So I’m not going to talk about this any more than that.
Cuomo’s media career took a hit after the release of court documents related to the prosecution of his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The papers indicated that the host had greater involvement in attempts to quash sexual misconduct allegations against the governor than what was previously known. CNN said they decided to suspend Chris “pending further evaluation.”
Governor Cuomo resigned in August after the State Assembly made it clear that it was ready to seek his impeachment over allegations of sexual misconduct. At least 12 women accused him of harassing them while in office. Cuomo denied any wrongdoing. His brother allegedly helped the governor deal with the scandal by using his contacts in the news industry, among other things.
CNN has been accused of playing loose with journalistic ethics by allowing Chris Cuomo to conduct softball interviews with his gubernatorial sibling – at a time when Andrew Cuomo’s role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in New York boosted his national profile, and many pundits considered him a viable contender for the presidency in 2024.
These prospects, however, were undermined by a series of scandals, including the exposure of how his office shielded owners of nursing homes from liability for Covid-19 deaths. Cuomo’s political misfortunes culminated with the allegations of sexual misconduct and his resignation.