CNN’s Jake Tapper recently called out fellow host Chris Cuomo over advising his brother New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on scandals and the news in the public interest. While he denies having the journalistic awareness to find the entire situation inappropriate, Tapper says that Cuomo knew this was a potential conflict of interest – and did it anyway.
Tapper told the New York Times that Chris put the network employees in a “bad spot’ and that he couldn’t imagine a world where anybody in journalism would think that was appropriate.
Chris Cuomo recently appeared on his primetime CNN show to talk about his involvement being looped into strategy calls regarding his brother’s sexual harassment allegations. He said that he understood why it was a “problem for CNN” and that it will not happen again.
“When my brother’s situation became turbulent, being looped into calls with other friends of his and advisors that did include some of his staff — I understand why that was a problem for CNN,” Chris Cuomo said.
Chris apologized for his brother’s scandals involving the underreporting of nursing home deaths, as well as the numerous women who have accused him of being sexually inappropriate. He called it a “unique challenge” to be a journalist and a brother to a politician and that he has a responsibility to balance those roles.
A spokesperson for CNN shared that the prime-time anchor would not face disciplinary action from the network.
“Chris, in his apology that he delivered on-air, said that he put us in a bad spot. I would also agree with that. I work very hard to be fair and to be ethical and to not cross lines. And I certainly understand the love that Chris has for his brother… but that was not a fun day,” Tapper said.
There have been ‘cancel calls’ for Chris Cuomo to resign from the network, along with a handful of staff members who said he should’ve faced harsher punishment from CNN than a slap on the wrist. While Chris was not involved in CNN’s extensive coverage of the Cuomo allegations, he has often engaged in conversations with political staff members and served as a sounding board for his brother.
One current CNN female on-air talent said that she was “very disappointed” in the network and that some disciplinary action, at a minimum, was required in this situation. She said that the younger Cuomo was always put in an untenable position given his job, but that there weren’t enough guardrails to prevent this sort of scandal.
“Chris Cuomo’s concern for his brother is admirable but working to discredit the multiple women who have accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual impropriety is both journalistically and morally immoral,” another insider said.
CNN’s media reporter Oliver Darcy also reported that multiple CNN staffers were bothered by the anchor’s conduct and violation of traditional journalistic standards.
Another recently departed CNN producer described the situation as “disgusting” and that they can’t punish Chris because last year they were “yukking it up” when he was interviewing his brother. The network had allowed Chris to interview the governor during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, even sharing family photos on the network. “They never ever should have had that happen. It was a complete letdown of journalistic ethics then,” he said.
Mind you, Chris didn’t even apologize for the fact that he coached his own brother out of sexual harassment claims. But the Democratic elite always seems to think they are untouchable, even as ratings for CNN continue to plummet. The network is finally unveiling all of its lies, double standards, and bias reporting…or as Trump calls it, ‘fake.’
With calls to resign, CNN is going to have to bow down to the woke mob or hope the Cuomo story slips under the radar. Stories tend to disappear when you’re a Democrat.
