Fleischer: Chris Cuomo should be let go from CNN if still advising brother
Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer breaks down the optics following New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation announcement.
New York City Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa personally urged CNN boss Jeff Zucker to fire embattled host Chris Cuomo during a press conference outside the network’s New York City headquarters on Thursday.
"He is culpable," Sliwa said of the CNN host.
CNN’s "Cuomo Prime Time" host was part of a team of outside, loyal confidants to soon-to-be-former Gov. Andrew Cuomo who contributed to a culture allowing the governor's "sexually harassing conduct" to "flourish," a scathing state investigation revealed last week. Journalism professionals have scolded the conduct as wildly unethical and prominent figures across the industry have called for CNN to take action.
New York City Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa will personally urge CNN boss Jeff Zucker to fire embattled host Chris Cuomo on Thursday. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Sliwa called CNN the "Cuomo News Network" and called for Zucker to take action.
"We are asking him, in advance of Chris Cuomo returning from vacation in the Hamptons… is to fire him and let him know he’s not permitted back here at 30 Hudson Yards ever again," Sliwa said. "Chris Cuomo decided to become his brother’s war-time consiglieri, not a peace-time consiglieri just giving brotherly advice, but actually was given access to the confidential documents of state employees, the accusers of his brother."
Sliwa held a personal letter addressed to Zucker urging him to "fire Fredo now," after the CNN host’s big brother announced his plan to step down as governor following the sexual harassment probe.
Some critics have referred to CNN’s Cuomo as "Fredo" since a 2019 incident went viral after the CNN anchor snapped at a man who used the term to greet him. Fredo is a reference to Fredo Corleone, the weak and facile brother in the movie "The Godfather."
"I suggest at this particular time that Jeff Zucker do the right thing and fire Chris Cuomo so he can retire to his compound in the Hamptons," Sliwa said. "Chris Cuomo is as culpable as Andrew Cuomo and must be fired."
Sliwa's campaign also handed out "Fire Fredo" signs to supporters at the press conference and live streamed the event on Sliwa's Facebook page.
Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and a longtime Cuomo critic, also went to Hudson River Park after the governor announced plans to step down this week and preemptively replaced the outgoing governor's name on official state signage.
He posted video of himself as he knelt beside an official sign for Pier 76 on Manhattan's west side, leaned in and pasted Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul's name over Cuomo's in the "Governor" space, above that of New York Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Erik Kulleseid. Hochul will be sworn in as governor upon Cuomo's resignation.
"This is signage that is evident almost everywhere across the State of New York, where the state has any kind of facility, park -- any kind of edifice, any kind of building," Sliwa said. "Let this be the first of many changes to come for the incoming governor, lieutenant governor now, Kathy Hochul."
Sliwa, 67, has for years criticized Gov. Cuomo and has also spoken ill of his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo. He has at times used nicknames in addition to "Fredo" for the members of the powerful Empire State political family, previously introducing the outgoing governor as "Andrew ‘Evil Eyes’ Cuomo, King Cuomo II, son of Mario 'Faccia Brutta' Cuomo."
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CNN has not publicly disciplined Chris Cuomo since the state report came out, but the liberal network has banned its 9 p.m. host from covering his brother. He is currently away from CNN on what is being labeled a long-planned vacation and refused to answer questions when confronted by Fox News earlier this week.
CNN did not respond to a series of questions, including whether or not Chris Cuomo will be allowed to address his brother’s resignation or whether the network will allow "Cuomo Prime Time" to cover politicians who called for the soon-to-be-former governor to step down.
Fox News’ David Rutz and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.