Embattled CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has been suspended indefinitely Tuesday in the wake of documents released by The New York Attorney General’s office that point to his attempts to help his brother Andrew Cuomo cover-up allegations of sexual misconduct.
The evidence includes text messages between Chris Cuomo and Melissa DeRosa, a then-top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The messages revealed that Cuomo was willing to use his sources to smear the reputations of the former governor’s accusers.
“When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly,” the network said in a statement. “But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second.”
Anderson Cooper will anchor the 9 p.m. slot on Tuesday, the CNN spokesperson said.
In August Cuomo publicly denied serving as an advisor to his brother. The network reportedly warned Cuomo to stop communicating with his brother’s aides.
According to Ballotpedia, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) resigned on August 24. He first announced his resignation on August 10, saying, “Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let the government get back to governing.
“I never attacked nor encouraged anyone to attack any woman who came forward. I never made calls to the press about my brother’s situation,” Cuomo said in August.
“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,” a CNN spokesperson said Tuesday evening. “The documents, which we were not privy to before their public release, raise serious questions.”
