Chris Cuomo is seeking $125 million in damages after being fired by CNN last year. His lawyer argued that he was used as a “scapegoat” by the network.
Evan Agostini / Evan Agostini / Invision / AP
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Chris Cuomo is seeking $125 million in damages after being fired by CNN last year. His lawyer argued that he was used as a “scapegoat” by the network.
Evan Agostini / Evan Agostini / Invision / AP
Former CNN broadcaster Chris Cuomo is seeking $125 million in damages after the carrier fired him in December.
Cuomo was suspended for the first time, then stopby then-CNN President Jeff Zucker for violating CNN’s journalistic ethics when Cuomo helped his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, navigate sexual harassment allegations against him.
Both Zucker and marketing director Allison Gollust, a former employee of the governor, are also alleged to have advised Governor Cuomo on how to handle sexual harassment allegations and how to respond to attacks from the former President Donald Trump.
Now, Chris Cuomo says that CNN used him as a “scapegoat.”
“CNN repeatedly breached its agreement with Cuomo, and Cuomo has suffered untold damages to his personal and professional reputation. As a direct result of CNN’s calculated efforts to smear smear him, Cuomo is now untouchable in the world of television journalism”, a submit Referee search, exclusive by Deadlinespeak.
Cuomo’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, argued that CNN changed its ethics and standards of practice to boost ratings during the start of the pandemic. The filing says standards of practice are a “moving target” based on what benefits network operators.
For example, in 2013, CNN reported that Chris Cuomo was unable to interview family members, including his brother. But in March 2020, then-Government. Andrew Cuomo gained traction for his COVID-19 briefings and his handling of the pandemic, he began appearing on Chris Cuomo’s CNN show. The governor was interviewed by his brother nine times.
The filing states that both Cuomo and Governor Cuomo “expressed reservations” about interviews. But Zucker and Gollust claim the interviews continued because they boosted the network’s ratings.
Filing alleges Governor Cuomo’s push to change COVID-19 briefings to help boost CNN ratings
Perhaps more strikingly, the petition alleges that Zucker and Gollust asked Governor Cuomo to move his COVID-19 briefings to afternoons to help the network boost weaker ratings during those hours.
“As CNN acknowledged, network standards were changed in a calculated decision to increase ratings. When those practices were called into question, Chris was made a scapegoat,” Freedman said. in a statement.
“The legal action filed today makes clear that CNN wrongfully terminated Chris’ employment and further violated the express terms of his employment contract by allowing employees to his staff disparaged him. Chris needs a full apology from those responsible,” Freedman said.
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by NPR.
When Governor Cuomo was accused of sexual harassment, CNN knew the extent to which Cuomo helped his brother, the filing said, and said nothing about it.
“It should be clear to everyone now that Chris Cuomo wasn’t lying to CNN about helping his brother,” Freedman said. “In fact, as the limited information revealed from the WarnerMedia investigation makes clear, CNN’s top executives are not only aware of Chris’ involvement in helping his brother, but also actively support him. supporting the Governor, through Chris and directly themselves.”
The Wall Street Journal report that it was Gollust who sent Governor Cuomo, her former boss, advice on how to deal with allegations of sexual harassment.
In February, Zucker resignation from the net, it is revealed that he is in a relationship with Gollust which he has not disclosed exactly. Gollust also resigns last month after CNN’s external investigation by a law firm was concluded.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar told CNN employees in a memo that the investigation found that Zucker, Gollust and Cuomo all violated CNN’s news standards and codes of practice.
At the time, Gollust said in a statement that Kilar was seeking to “retaliate against me and change the way the media is reported in light of their handling of the disaster over the past two weeks.”
