For CNN, the headaches surrounding events leading up to and including the firing over the weekend of star anchor Chris Cuomo don\u2019t look to be dissipating anytime soon. If anything, the whole affair looks like it\u2019s about to get a lot messier \u2014 and even more problematic for the network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just days after Cuomo\u2019s firing this weekend over a sexual misconduct allegation \u2014 which came to light amid a release of new records from the New York attorney general\u2019s office, as well as of a report from the law firm Cravath Swaine & Moore \u2014 the now ex-anchor was trying to drag CNN president Jeff Zucker into the fray. A Cuomo spokesman insisted to The Wall Street Journal <\/em>that Zucker was aware of what Cuomo had been doing behind the scenes earlier this year, in terms of informally advising his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a>, during the latter\u2019s own sexual harassment scandal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s before new information, however, came to light over the past week. Which took what previously had been merely an eyebrow-raising blurring of journalistic lines on Cuomo\u2019s part, and added two compounding factors. One, that it seems Cuomo was much more involved with helping his brother navigate the earlier scandal than the network apparently realized at the time. And, two, an unrelated sexual misconduct claim against the younger Cuomo was also now added to the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, the anchor\u2019s statement pointed a finger at CNN\u2019s Zucker: \u201cMr. Cuomo has the highest level of admiration and respect for Mr. Zucker,\u201d reads the statement from Cuomo\u2019s spokesman. \u201cThey were widely known to be extremely close and in regular contact, including about the details of Mr. Cuomo\u2019s support for his brother. There were no secrets about this, as other individuals besides Mr. Cuomo can attest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n CNN, for its part, spent Sunday and Monday working to knock down the implication in that statement \u2014 that he had Zucker\u2019s imprimatur or some sort of cover for any of this. One CNN source described that claim to me as, in a word, \u201cbogus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are disappointed with Chris’s statement,\u201d reads the network\u2019s official response. \u201cHe has made a number of accusations that are patently false. This reinforces why he was terminated for violating our standards and practices, as well as for his lack of candor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Statement on Chris Cuomo\u2019s termination from CNN. pic.twitter.com\/yKPwYtMznD<\/a><\/p>— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) December 4, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>