CNN has suspended anchor Chris Cuomo indefinitely following new revelations about his involvement in the harassment case against his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“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,” CNN said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov. 30, 2021) evening.
“The documents, which we were not privy to before their public release, raise serious questions. When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly. But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second,” the network said. “However, these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother’s efforts than we previously knew. As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation.”
The network said on Monday evening it would conduct a “thorough review” of documents made public by the New York attorney general’s office as part of its investigation into the former governor, who resigned under pressure in August after state Attorney General Letitia James (D) detailed sexual harassment allegations against him from nearly a dozen women.
The documents show Chris Cuomo texting with former top aides to his brother, asking to be included in the planning of the former governor’s crisis public relations campaign after the allegations were made.
In one text message exchange in March, Melissa DeRosa, one of the former governor’s closest confidants, asked Chris Cuomo to “check with his sources” in the media about additional women coming forward against the governor.
“On it,” he replied, according to the documents.
In another text message, Chris Cuomo told DeRosa he had “a lead on the wedding girl,” an apparent reference to a woman who accused Andrew Cuomo of touching her inappropriately at a wedding they both attended.
News of Chris Cuomo’s participation in the crisis PR sessions were first reported in May.
When the additional documents were released on Monday, CNN was hith widespread criticism for how it had handled the scandal and faced calls to fire the longtime broadcaster.
“This wasn’t just brothers talking about their lives, or even about politics. This was a major network news anchor actively working to support the former Governor of New York in pushing back against sexual harassment allegations and denegrating survivors of abuse,” Elisa Batista, campaign director at UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization, said in a statement on Tuesday. “CNN should immediately sever ties with Chris Cuomo. Anything less is unacceptable, and further harms survivors of sexual abuse.”
CNN reported on Tuesday evening Cuomo’s suspension came after staffers at the network had internally expressed dismay at the anchor’s conduct. Several other reporters, editors and journalists at news organizations across the political spectrum also admonished Cuomo and how the network was handling his actions.
In August, during an on-air apology, Chris Cuomo said he “never made calls to the press about my brother’s situation.”
“I never influenced or attempted to control CNN’s coverage of my family,” he said at the time. “And as you know, back in May when I was told to no longer communicate with my brother’s aides in any group meetings, I acknowledged it was a mistake, I apologized to my colleagues, I stopped, and I meant it.”
When news of Chris Cuomo participating in strategy sessions with his brother was first made public, CNN President Jeff Zucker reportedly told employees at the network that “there are not special rules for Chris,” adding that “he is human and these are very unique circumstances.”
Zucker declined to suspend Cuomo at that time, saying doing so would be “punishment for the sake of punishing.”
Cuomo did not acknowledge the newly revealed documents or CNN’s announced investigation of him during his show on Monday.
LINK LOVE
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Michelle Obama sort of addresses the divorce rumors: ‘All of my choices are for me’ (Celebitchy) | OMG, He’s Naked: ‘Emily In Paris’ Star Lucas Bravo In ‘Les Femmes Au Balcon’ (2024) (omg blog) | ‘The Pitt’ Finale Was Exhausted, Raw, and Kind of Perfect (Pajiba) |
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Bella Ramsey Wore a Tapestry (Go Fug Yourself) | Especially For You: A Review Of Kylie Minogue At MSG (Boy Culture) | Carlos Alcaraz plays in Monte Carlo (Kenneth in the 212) |
HOT DEALS

- Go big and take it home! The LG 70″ Class UQ7070Z 4K LED Smart TV is now $150 off! Dive into a world of free content and personalized recommendations for every one you share the remote with. Enhance your picture and sound with AI from the α5 Gen5 AI Processor 4K that is engineered to amaze you by transforming your regular content into 4K for sharper definition and detail on the big screen. [Walmart]
- Save $10 on the Sur La Table Carbon Steel Wok! The exclusive Sur La Table Carbon-Steel Wok is perfect for stir-frying meats and veggies, deep-frying tempura, steaming with bamboo inserts and more. [Sur La Table]
- Save 10% of the Dreo oscillating fan. Unlike most fans, this oscillating fan brings simultaneous 150˚ horizontal and 120˚ vertical oscillation and an adjustable pedestal of 37.5-43 inches for more flexibility. [Amazon]
- Save 41% off the Sueded Cotton T-Shirt from J. Crew. [J. Crew]
- Save $50 on the Ring Doorbell Plus! The Battery Doorbell Plus with Head-to-Toe HD+ Video gives you an expanded field of view so you can see more of who’s at your door. [Amazon]
- Save $130 on the Dyson Digital Slim Cordless Vacuum. The ideal balance of power and weight. 33% lighter than the Dyson V11™ vacuum. With up to 40 minutes of fade-free Dyson suction. [Walmart]
- Get 15% off Therabody Massasing Goggles. SmartGoggles use soothing vibration, heat and massage therapies to improve sleep quality, boost deep sleep, enhance relaxation and reduce stress — making them the perfect addition to your bedtime routine. [Therabody]
- Save 28% on Garden of Life Probiotics for Men. Once Daily Men’s is formulated for his unique needs with 50 Billion CFU of 15 probiotics for digestive and immune support. They’ve added their whole food prebiotics fiber blend and probiotics to help promote the growth of good bacteria. [Amazon]
Like most websites, Socialite Life uses affiliate links where available, which means we earn a little commission if you click through and buy something. Also, as Amazon Influencers, we earn from qualifying purchases. Savings shown are those from the date and time of this article’s publication.