Media top headlines August 4
In media news today, Chris Cuomo stays silent on CNN about the bombshell report on his brother's sexual harassment charges, and more revelations come to light about the extent of Cuomo's advising of his brother on the scandal.
While CNN covered the new report detailing sexual harassment allegations against Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the network's on-air broadcasts largely ignored the involvement of their primetime anchor Chris Cuomo's involvement in his brother's scandals.
According to the report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James, D>, on Tuesday, the CNN anchor was one of several unpaid advisors whom the governor consulted with on handling his ongoing sexual harassment allegations. The lengthy report included an email from Feb. 28 where Chris Cuomo gave suggestions on how his brother should respond to the sexual harassment claims, while telling CNN viewers the next day he "obviously" could not cover the harassment claims due to conflict of interest.
Although CNN President Jeff Zucker acknowledged in May that it was wrong for Chris Cuomo to advise his brother, he issued no punishment for one of the network's stars.
The AG report said Chris Cuomo and others were "regularly provided with confidential and often privileged information about state operations and helped make decisions that impacted State business and employees—all without any formal role, duty, or obligation to the State."
CNN’S CHRIS CUOMO AMONG ANDREW CUOMO ADVISORS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO TOXIC HARASSMENT CULTURE: AG REPORT
Despite Chris Cuomo’s documented involvement with his brother’s allegations, CNN almost entirely ignored referencing it when discussing the Attorney General’s report.
A notable exception came from "Inside Politics" anchor John King, who mentioned the CNN anchor halfway through his broadcast. He downplayed his extensive involvement in managing his brother's political crisis as him having "reached out and talked to his brother."
"I'm going to put this on the record," King said. "Many of you know this, but the governor's brother, Chris, works right here at CNN as an anchor. We should note that and he was interviewed as part of the report as someone who reached out and talked to his brother as this crisis was unfolding."
CNN senior legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid referenced Chris Cuomo’s name during her report on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." However, it was only in the brief context of being a part of the investigation regarding his brother. Reid reported on Cuomo in the same manner on "Erin Burnett OutFront."
Erica Hill likewise briefly referenced Chris Cuomo only in the context of being involved in the investigation on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and "Anderson Cooper 360."
The Attorney General’s report heavily emphasized that "the reliance on loyal confidants" like Chris Cuomo contributed to a workplace "where the Governor’s sexually harassing conduct was allowed to flourish and persist."
"Whether driven by fear or blinded by loyalty, the senior staff of the Executive Chamber (and the Governor’s select group of outside confidants) looked to protect the Governor and found ways not to believe or credit those who stepped forward to make or support allegations against him," the report found," the report stated.
Although coverage of Chris Cuomo's involvement was scant on television, CNN media reporter Brian Stelter covered it extensively in his "Reliable Sources" newsletter.
"Inside CNN, some staffers I spoke with were supportive of Cuomo on Tuesday, recognizing that no one chooses their family members, and that viewers expected to see him on the air for ‘Prime Time,’ one of the network's highest-rated shows," Stelter wrote.
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Top Democrats like President Joe Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have called for Andrew Cuomo to resign.