Suspended CNN anchor Chris Cuomo responded Wednesday to the news that the network had removed him from broadcast indefinitely, saying on his radio show, “It hurts to even say it.”
Cuomo addressed the issue on his SiriusXM radio show, “Let’s Get After It”:
Cuomo asked his producers to cut the music before delving into the topic that was on everyone’s minds. “Quick note about the obvious — I’ve been suspended from CNN…. You know this already. It hurts to even say it. It’s embarrassing, but I understand it.”
“And I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did. I’ve apologized in the past, and I mean it. It’s the last thing I ever wanted to do, was compromise any of my colleagues,” Cuomo continued.
“I know they have a process that they think is important. I respect that process, so I’m not going to talk about this any more than that,” he said.
CNN announced the suspension Tuesday, as reported by The Daily Wire:
CNN suspended host Chris Cuomo on Tuesday over new details that were revealed this week about the amount of help that he allegedly provided to his brother while his brother was the Democrat governor of New York and facing accusations of sexual misconduct.
“CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was suspended indefinitely by the network on Tuesday in the wake of new details about his efforts to assist his brother,” The New York Times reported, adding that while Chris Cuomo had apologized for advising his brother “thousands of pages of new evidence released on Monday by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, revealed that the anchor’s role had been more intimate and involved than previously known.”
According to a report from The Daily Beast, some of the talent at CNN had voiced frustration that the network had not taken action against Cuomo sooner:
Two people familiar with the situation said that while CNN doesn’t want to prolong the matter, Chris Cuomo deserves due process and the opportunity to respond to the most recent revelations.
The people with knowledge of the situation said CNN boss Jeff Zucker had felt serious heat from infuriated talent, including Jake Tapper, over the last 24 hours and acted to yank Cuomo off the air while the review is carried out.
Another CNN insider told The Daily Beast that Cuomo had become incredibly unpopular among network staffers and fellow hosts. “I don’t know anyone who likes him,” the insider added.
Cuomo admitted in May that he had advised his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, regarding allegations of sexual harassment and assault, and publicly apologized for putting CNN in an awkward position in addition to promising he would not take part in any additional calls.
Documents released Monday by Attorney General Letitia James (D-N.Y.) revealed that Cuomo’s involvement in advising his brother — and even using his professional contacts to keep tabs on potentially damaging stories about him — led CNN to determine that a deeper investigation and suspension would be the correct course of action for the network.