CNN might have broken their contract with Chris Cuomo so he’s taking them to court for more than one reason. Supposedly his journalistic integrity was smeared so he can’t find similar work. On the other hand, the CNN President at the time Jeff Zucker was shocked at how much Chris helped his brother with sexual allegations. The culture isn’t easy to work in either, with standards being a moving target.
Chris is going to court
He’s demanding $125 million from CNN. He didn’t get a severance package and he fears his reputation is ruined. He thought his journalistic integrity was unjustifiably smeared.
He insists both CNN executives Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust knew of him advising his brother. They even “acted as advisors to Gov. Cuomo during this time”.
Chris was smeared
Several CNN executives, including Zucker, Brian Stetler, Don Lemon, Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper “openly disparaged Cuomo in violation” of his contract. His arbitration demands $14,406,250 in base pay, not including bonuses for the remaining 19 months that were left in his contract.
The complaint asks for “damages sufficient to allow Cuomo to recover his damages as proven at trial, but in no event less than $125 million.” His attorneys insist on the high dollar figure because “Cuomo has had his journalistic integrity unjustifiably smeared, making it difficult if not impossible for Cuomo to find similar work in the future and damaging him in amounts exceeding $125 million” in fines and “future wages lost as a result of CNN’s efforts to destroy his reputation.”
Chris was placed on leave
Jeff Zucker at the time was stunned that Chris helped his brother as much as he did. When Zucker found out about this on November 30, he was placed on leave. Three days later he was fired.
Cuomo’s attorney said that he followed the network’s rules and regulations as best he could but the target was constantly moving. “Cuomo fully complied with CNN’s standards and practices, including by keeping CNN executives apprised of his actions at all times.” But “CNN fostered a culture in which the network’s standards and practices were a constantly moving target, modified at CNN executives’ discretion as they saw fit.”
He said, she said
Zucker and Gollust actually advised Governor Cuomo on how to respond to President Trump so they’re talking out of both sides of their mouth. Gollust spoke through a spokesperson, calling the exchanges “innocuous” and “mundane”.
Emails recently obtained by the New York Post suggest Chris spoke with his brother about how many people died of COVID in nursing homes. Governor Cuomo was encouraged to say the New York Times got the story wrong and hadn’t given him time to respond.
Allegations thrown around
Several colleagues questioned Cuomo’s integrity, motives and ethics. Stetler accused Chris of “trying to burn the place down”. Lemon didn’t think he should get a severance package. It sets a bad precedent to “break with those journalistic standards and then get paid handsomely for it.”
Chris Cuomo has kept a low profile since leaving the network. His brother has launched a minor political comeback, saying he was a victim of cancel culture. Zucker is cashing in on having to leave as well with CNN paying him between $5 and $10 million.
