CNN Taps down sexy ‘scandal’

IT’S been one year since former CNN chief Jeff Zucker resigned over his relationship with top exec Allison Gollust — and now the network is weathering a new alleged scandal.

Jake Tapper’s executive producer, Federico Quadrani, was ousted from the news network last week after it came to light he’d been hooking up with a subordinate, according to sources. The news is spreading at CNN, with one source warning, “It’s going to get out.”

Sources told us Quadrani was already under an HR-led “investigation of sorts” over rumors of an inappropriate relationship with a senior producer. “There were some complaints. No one had proof, and these things are hard to prove. Jake was aware of the investigation,” another source told us.

But just as Quadrani was about to be cleared, Tapper was “presented with something that he couldn’t ignore” last Wednesday, and by Friday, his right-hand man was out, we’re told.

“Jake was made aware of it and acted quickly. Someone discovered something accidentally, and brought it to Tapper. He delivered it to [human resources], and they were terminated,” the second source said.

A spokesperson for CNN would “not comment on personnel matters,” and Quadrani did not get back to us by deadline.

Quadrani joined Tapper’s show in 2013 from MSNBC and relocated from New York to DC. He’d worked at “Today” for six years, and prior to that was at ABC’s “Good Morning America” from 1998 to 2003.

At NBC, he was known as a golden boy who colleagues referred to as Fede.

Coincidentally, he worked under Zucker at “Today” before he joined MSNBC. He then steered Tapper’s afternoon show, “The Lead With Jake Tapper,” for a decade.

Despite Quadrani and the subordinate “both missing” from CNN’s Washington bureau on Friday, “they’re consenting adults and no one’s particularly feeling like this is some big scandal,” the second source concluded.