CNN was slammed on Wednesday following an explosive revelation that led to the network’s head, Jeff Zucker, resigning from his spot after he admitted to having a relationship with a colleague.
In a statement, Zucker said:
As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo’s tenure at CNN, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years. I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn’t. I was wrong. As a result, I am resigning today.
I came to CNN on January 28, 2013. Together, we had nine great years. I certainly wish my tenure here had ended differently. But it was an amazing run. And I loved every minute. I am grateful to the thousands of incredibly talented CNN and Turner Sports employees who helped make this such a joy for me, and such a success for all of us. I wish each of you nothing but the best in the years ahead. With gratitude and much love.
Industry insiders suggested that there was more to the story and that details would eventually come out that would shock CNN employees.
Notable responses included:
- Ben Shapiro, The Daily Wire: “Zucker was nailing Gollust who used to work for Andrew Cuomo. Zucker was paying Chris who was working for Andrew. CNN spent all of 2020 painting Andrew as the greatest governor in the country while he shoveled covid+ elderly into nursing homes, then covered it up.”
- Matthew Belloni, reporter: “Potentially important: I’m told CNN received a litigation hold letter recently from Chris Cuomo lawyers, demanding, among other things, preservation of all communications between Zucker, comms chief Allison Gollust, and Andrew Cuomo.”
- Megyn Kelly, journalist: “Zucker’s relationship with Gollust went on for years, and what he did to keep her near him (as he kept advancing her up the line) will be even more stunning to the CNN news room.”
- Joe Concha, The Hill: “People inside the building already have busy thumbs and there’s much more to this Zucker story that goes well beyond a consensual relationship with a colleague. A few folks close to the former CNN president should be very nervous right now.”
- Sean Davis, The Federalist: “Zucker didn’t get fired for screwing a staffer. He was given the opportunity to resign for screwing a staffer in lieu of being fired for something far worse. This is CNN, y’all. The network still employs a Zoom masturbator as its top legal analyst. It has zero standards.”
- Karen Ho, reporter: “Jeff Zucker’s legacy at CNN reflects a long-term prioritization of spectacle and profits over actual news judgement, with devastating consequences for US politics and the news industry at large.”
- Mike Cernovich, political commentator: “The Jeff Zucker story doesn’t add up. Must be more to it. Being hidden.”
- Nicholas Fondacaro, reporter: “Zucker’s sexual misconduct explains why Chris Cuomo was able to hang on as long as he did, Jeffrey Toobin was allowed to come back, and why they had not 1 but 2 pedophiles (that we know of) on the payroll.”
- Erick Erickson, radio host: “The Zucker termination is another remind the elite don’t think the rules apply to them.”
- Greg Pollowitz, Twitchy: “I think everyone at CNN who says they are ‘stunned’ or ‘shocked’ at the Zucker news is lying. There’s no way this Jan 4 Radar Online article didn’t set off a nuclear bomb inside CNN.”
- Steve Krakauer, reporter: “Everyone who needed to know about Zucker’s relationship with Gollust already knew. So the question is what JUST happened, and – perhaps most importantly – what else there is, that resigning immediately will keep from getting out.”
- David Martosko, Daily Mail: “Among the weirdest things I’ve read about the Zucker scandal is that Gollust and her husband moved into the apartment above Zucker and his wife. Same building, one floor apart. On purpose, while everyone was still married.”