Will Chris Cuomo be sidelined at CNN for good?
Fox News media analyst Howard Kurtz reports on the CNN anchor's suspension from the network 'indefinitely' following revelations of his involvement with brother Andrew Cuomo's sexual harassment probe.
Embattled CNN star Chris Cuomo addressed his suspension publicly for the first time on Wednesday, admitting he’s "embarrassed" but understands why people think his actions violated journalism ethics and plans to "respect" the network's investigation into his conduct.
"Hey everybody, it’s Chris Cuomo, let’s get after it, quick note, the obvious, I’ve been suspended from CNN," Cuomo said Wednesday on his SiriusXM radio program as he told a producer to cut the music.
"You know this already. It hurts to even say it, it’s embarrassing, but I understand it and I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did," Cuomo said. "I’ve apologized in the past and I mean it, it’s the last thing I ever wanted to do was compromise any of my colleagues and do anything but help."
CNN'S BRIAN STELTER INDICATES CHRIS CUOMO MIGHT ONLY BE SUSPENDED FOR A FEW WEEKS
CNN suspended Chris Cuomo indefinitely pending further review of his conduct regarding his extensive involvement in his brother Andrew Cuomo's political operations. (CNN)
CNN suspended Cuomo on Tuesday following stunning revelations from the New York Attorney General's investigation into his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D., who resigned amid scandal earlier this year. CNN has said Cuomo would be sidelined "pending further evaluation" of the damning documents released by the state's Attorney General that indicate his role in helping his brother was more prominent than he previously let on.
‘I know they have a process that they think is important and I respect that process, so I’m not going to talk about this anymore than that," Cuomo said before diving into regular programming on SiriusXM's "Let's Get After It."
Transcripts from Cuomo’s interview with state investigators indicated the CNN star would reach out to media sources to find out about his brother’s accusers before they came forward publicly. Text messages also indicated he snooped on journalists about upcoming stories that would make his brother look bad, and relayed the information to governor’s aides.
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Cuomo's admission in the newly released testimony also contradicted what he told CNN viewers in August when he claimed, "I never made calls to the press about my brother's situation."
Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, arrives at Trump Tower with Melissa DeRosa in New York City, U.S. January 18, 2017. (REUTERS/Stephanie Keith)
CNN’s initial statement declared: "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 defense. 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. 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. As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation."
CNN’s in-house media reporter Brian Stelter has since speculated he could return to the network as early as January, but a spokesman told Fox News Digital that was speculative and nothing will be definitive until after a review.
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Liberal news organizations, women’s groups, journalists from across the political spectrum and women who accused the former governor of sexual misconduct have all called for CNN to permanently part ways with Cuomo.