CNN admits Chris Cuomo inappropriately gave brother Andrew advice on sexual harassment scandal
CNN won't discipline the anchor, who participated in strategy sessions advising the New York governor not to resign over harassment charges.
CNN continues to declare itself "the most trusted name in news," but how its star anchors conduct themselves and the lack of response their employer gives to questionable behavior appears to further tarnish the network's credibility.
The liberal network admitted to The Washington Post on Thursday that "Cuomo Prime Time" host Chris Cuomo engaged in "inappropriate" strategy meetings with embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's team earlier this year as he faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment and unwanted touching.
The stunning Washington Post report revealed the CNN anchor joined conference calls with top aides to the embattled governor earlier this year as charges of harassment mounted and prompted calls from both sides of the aisle for his resignation. Sources told the paper the younger Cuomo urged his brother to not step down and even invoked "cancel culture," a talking point the governor used back in March while talking to reporters.
It was previously reported that Chris Cuomo served as an informal political adviser for the Democrat.
However, despite all the negative the scandal is making for CNN, Cuomo is certainly not the first anchor to give active politicians advice.
(CNN)
Last September, it was revealed that CNN anchor Jake Tapper tried to convince Republican Sean Parnell not to run against incumbent Democrat Rep. Conor Lamb for a Western Pennsylvania House seat in the 2020 election.
Tapper suggested that Parnell, a U.S. Army combat veteran who now running as a Senate candidate ahead of the 2022 midterms, would be better off running in a safer district for Republicans, according to a source close to, but unaffiliated with, Parnell’s campaign who feels the CNN anchor was unethically participating in political activism.
Fox News obtained a Twitter direct message that Tapper sent Parnell’s @SeanParnellUSA account on Nov. 8, 2019, after he officially declared his candidacy for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district against Democrat Rep. Lamb.
"And best of luck in your race. For the record, I wasn’t trying to talk you out of running -- I was trying to talk you into running in a safer R district! Lol," Tapper wrote to Parnell.
However, Tapper previously denied reporting from Breitbart that alluded to the CNN anchor's interference in an election race during a private exchange with former acting DNI Ric Grenell.
CNN ADMITS CHRIS CUOMO INAPPROPRIATELY PROVIDED BROTHER ADVICE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDAL
"Is it true you asked Sean Parnell to not run against Conor Lamb?" Grenell asked.
"Nope," Tapper responded.
"They are saying they have texts from you. Not true?" Grenell followed.
Grenell published Tapper's apparently misleading response via Twitter direct message, sparking allegations that the anchor "lied."
Tapper did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Ultimately, Parnell did not take Tapper's advice and narrowly lost the race against Lamb by a 51-49 margin. Parnell is now running as a Republican candidate for the Pennsylvania Senate seat that will be left vacant by Sen. Pat Toomey, who is not seeking reelection.
While Tapper managed to duck bad press for his election interference, his colleague Cuomo has not been as lucky.
Critics have panned the "Cuomo Prime Time" anchor, who had previously been under fire for the chummy interviews he had with his brother in the early months of the pandemic while the nursing home scandal was brewing as well as being the recipient of prioritized COVID tests by the Cuomo administration as ordinary New Yorkers struggled.
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The women's group UltraViolet is calling on CNN to immediately suspend its star anchor and conduct an investigation into the network's coverage of the embattled governor.
"This is deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable," UltraViolet reacted."@CNN should immediately suspend Chris Cuomo and conduct a thorough investigation into whether or not his position of authority at the network has impacted how others covered the allegations against his brother, Governor Cuomo."
Fox News' Brian Flood and David Rutz contributed to this report.
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