Allison Gollust, CNN’s chief marketing officer, resigned Tuesday following the conclusion of an investigation that incriminated her, former CNN President Jeff Zucker, and former CNN host Chris Cuomo.
Jason Kilar, CEO of CNN parent company WarnerMedia, announced the findings of the CNN investigation and Gollust’s resignation in an email to employees on Tuesday evening. The investigation, performed by an outside law firm, concluded that Gollust, Zucker, and Cuomo violated company policies.
“Earlier today, Allison Gollust resigned from CNN following the conclusion of the Company’s investigation into issues associated with Chris Cuomo and former Governor Andrew Cuomo,” Kilar wrote.
“Performed by a third-party law firm and led by a former federal judge, the investigation was comprehensive and definitive. It was commissioned in September and concluded this weekend, which now allows me to share additional information with you. Based on interviews of more than 40 individuals and a review of over 100,000 texts and emails, the investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo,” Kilar continued.
Brand new memo from Jason Kilar: "The investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN's News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo." pic.twitter.com/Xu1HQJw9cT
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 16, 2022
Zucker resigned from the company weeks before after the investigation revealed that he and Gollust were in an undisclosed relationship. CNN fired Cuomo in December for aiding his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, formulate a media strategy and respond to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
“I realize this news is troubling, disappointing, and frankly, painful to read. These are valid feelings many of you have,” Kilar wrote. “We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN, and those rules must apply to everyone equally. Given the information provided to me in the investigation, I strongly believe we have taken the right actions and the right decisions have been made.”
“I am asking in this moment that we all commit to the vital mission we share and the values that define us. CNN, WarnerMedia, and this incredible team deserve that commitment,” he concluded.
Gollust and Zucker began a romantic relationship “in recent years” after the outbreak of COVID-19, the two said in statements earlier this month after revelations about their relationship went public. The two worked closely together for over two decades before the pandemic struck and, as Zucker put it, “the relationship evolved.”
The two first began working together at NBC News on the “Today” show. Gollust joined the show as a publicist in 1997 where Zucker was already working at the show’s executive producer. While the two claim that their relationship sparked less than two years ago, rumors have swirled about the couple much longer, predating their separate divorces from their former spouses. Gollust filed for divorce from her former husband in 2015. Zucker and his ex-wife divorced two years later in 2017.
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