2021 started off as Andrew and Chris Cuomo’s year, and it is ending with both of them being out of a job.
Andrew Cuomo resigned earlier this year after allegations of sexual advances and harassment towards women he worked with while governor of New York. There were several women who made this claim, and his brother used his influence to allegedly look up on dirt on them and act as his brother’s aide.
As soon as CNN learned about the latter, they did an investigation on him. Today, they made a decision about his future with the network.
“Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s defense. We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately.
“While in the process of that review, additional information has come to light. Despite the termination, we will investigate as appropriate.”
While Chris Cuomo said, “This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother. So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot. I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”
As someone who worked in hard news, I will admit we will use our jobs sometimes to get information about personal matters, like if a friend or family member might have been injured in an accident before it is released to the public. However, we know the line, and Cuomo crossed it.
Our loyalty belongs to our jobs and journalism before everyone else, including our family members. Or at least it should.
And to the people, who work at other news outlets, don’t get overly excited about this news. It could easily happen at your place of employment too. If it hasn’t already. Remember how happy you were to see male anchors get fired at Fox News, then CBS, then NBC, and so on. No place is safe from people abusing their power. And you know it.
