As Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s political profession teetered, his brother, the TV host Chris Cuomo, saved silent, declining to handle the matter on his
As Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s political profession teetered, his brother, the TV host Chris Cuomo, saved silent, declining to handle the matter on his CNN present after which leaving for what he described as a deliberate trip.
On Monday, Chris Cuomo returned to prime time and spoke publicly for the primary time about his brother’s gorgeous resignation — and the moral complications it created for him and his community.
“It was a singular scenario, being a brother to a politician in a scandal and being a part of the media,” Mr. Cuomo mentioned in short remarks towards the top of his 9 p.m. present. “I attempted to do the precise factor, and I simply need you all to know that.”
He additionally mentioned he had suggested his brother to step down as New York’s governor. “Whereas it was one thing I by no means imagined ever having to do,” he instructed viewers, “I did urge my brother to resign, when the time got here.”
For CNN, the conundrum of the Cuomo brothers was painful on a number of ranges.
Chris Cuomo apologized in Could after it emerged that he had supplied recommendation to Andrew Cuomo’s aides because the governor confronted sexual harassment accusations. The host pledged to not focus on his brother’s travails, however CNN saved him on the air, roiling some colleagues who thought of his function a evident battle of curiosity.
It didn’t assist that CNN had overtly inspired the brothers’ on-air rapport at the beginning of the pandemic, when viewers tuned in to see Chris Cuomo interview Andrew Cuomo about his response to the pandemic.
On his Monday present, Chris Cuomo mentioned the scenario involving the governor’s scandal was “in contrast to something I may have imagined.”
“I’m not an adviser; I’m a brother,” he instructed viewers. “I wasn’t accountable for something. I used to be there to hear and to supply my take. And my recommendation to my brother was easy and constant: personal what you probably did, inform folks what you’ll do to be higher, be contrite, and, lastly, settle for that it doesn’t matter what you supposed. What issues is how your actions and phrases have been perceived.”
Chris Cuomo has additionally confronted scrutiny over his involvement within the efforts by Andrew Cuomo’s aides to stave off the rising scandal. On Monday, the CNN host mentioned: “I by no means attacked nor inspired anybody to assault any girl who got here ahead. I by no means made calls to the press about my brother’s scenario. I by no means influenced or tried to regulate CNN’s protection of my household.”
He mentioned he had no plans to remark additional. “This might be my remaining phrase on it,” the host mentioned, earlier than reducing to a business. “Let’s take a break. We’ll be proper again.”