Chris Cuomo says he advised his brother Andrew but was never an adviser
Speaking to camera on Monday night, the CNN anchor Chris Cuomo said he had never been an adviser to his brother, the disgraced New York governor Andrew Cuomo – but had given his brother advice.
Andrew Cuomo resigned last week over allegations of sexual harassment from 11 women. He denies the claims but is due to step down next week. He will be replaced by his lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, the first woman to govern New York.
Chris Cuomo has faced widespread criticism for for advising his brother during the harassment scandal, and for his coverage of him during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, Chris Cuomo said: “I said point blank I can’t be objective when it comes to my family … And when [the scandal] happened, I tried to be there for my brother. I’m not an adviser. I’m a brother, I wasn’t in control of anything. I was there to listen and offer my take.
“And my advice to my brother was simple and consistent on what you did. Tell people what you’ll do to be better, be contrite, and finally accept that it doesn’t matter what you intended. What matters is how your actions and words were perceived.
“And yes, while it was something I never imagined ever having to do. I did urge my brother to resign when the time came.”
Announcing his resignation, the older Cuomo claimed “a bias or a lack of fairness in the justice system” but “deeply, deeply” apologised to his accusers, who he said were probably “truly offended”.
The younger Cuomo also said he “never misled anyone about the information I was delivering or not delivering … I never attacked, nor encouraged anyone to attack any woman who came forward. I never made calls to the press about my brother’s situation. I never influenced or attempted to control CNN coverage of my family.
“As you know back in May when I was told to no longer communicate with my brother’s aides in any group meetings, I acknowledged it was a mistake. I apologise to my colleagues and I stopped and I meant it was a unique situation being a brother to a politician and a scandal and being part of the media.”
Widespread reporting last week said the two Cuomos continued to discuss the scandal as the New York attorney general, Letitia James, carried out an investigation.
Chris Cuomo also said he hoped “that ultimately everyone involved can get to a better place, that some higher good will be served”.
“It’s never easy being in this business and coming from a political
family,” he said, referring also to his father, the three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo.
He also said he “never covered my brother’s troubles because I obviously have a conflict, and there are rules at CNN about that”.
Referring to appearances on his show by Andrew Cuomo in the early stages of the pandemic, the anchor added: “I said last year that his appearances on this show would be shortlived. And they were. The last was over a year ago, long before any kind of scandal.”
Andrew Cuomo has been dogged by allegations of a cover-up of coronavirus fatalities in nursing homes early in the pandemic, which he denies.
Summing up, Chris Cuomo indicated that he would brush off calls for his own resignation.
“This will be my final word on it,” he said. “… Let’s take a break. We’ll be right back.”