CNN is facing both internal and external criticism for its handling of the conflict of interest involving its anchor, Chris Cuomo, who escaped disciplinary action despite advising his brother, Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, on how to deal with sexual misconduct allegations. The Washington Post revealed last month that Chris Cuomo joined phone calls with his brother's senior aides earlier this year, as harassment allegations against him escalated. The report quoted sources saying that the younger Cuomo urged his brother not to resign, using the term "cancel culture" at one point.
Current and former employees criticized the host of "Cuomo Prime Time" for the violation, and prominent CNN anchor Jake Tapper, in an interview last week with Kara Swisher of The New York Times, stated, "I can't imagine a world where anyone in journalism thinks that was appropriate." In the same week, Brian Stelter, host of "Reliable Sources" on CNN, suggested that a leave of absence for Cuomo might be necessary. Stelter questioned during a segment of his show, "If Chris Cuomo wants to have strategy sessions with his brother's aides, shouldn't he take a leave from CNN?"
At a seminar held last week, other employees expressed their concerns by asking CNN President Jeff Zucker why the network had not punished Cuomo, despite acknowledging that he crossed an ethical line. Zucker responded that temporarily suspending Cuomo would be pointless and merely "punishment for punishment's sake." However, a retired ethics officer from CNN stated that the lack of clear policies is largely why Cuomo has not been held accountable. According to The Hill, Steve Holmes, who retired from CNN in 2019 after more than a decade, said, "You won't see any clear rules where the violation is deemed misconduct worthy of termination."
Holmes emphasized that a symbolic punishment would be better than nothing and would acknowledge that ethics matter to the network. Holmes, who was an editor at The Washington Post and a member of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team at The New York Times before joining CNN, believes that failing to hold Cuomo accountable sends the wrong message.
Cuomo came under scrutiny last year when he defended his brother, the New York governor, and his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, Chris Cuomo faced allegations of preferential treatment received by him and his family from New York health officials early in the pandemic. The Professional Journalists Association has called for an internal investigation and public accountability for the CNN anchor. Last month, Chris Cuomo apologized on air after The Washington Post reported that he advised his brother. During last week's seminar, Zucker stated that CNN does not have specific rules for Cuomo but added that having a powerful governor as the anchor's brother was a "very unique situation."
