Chris Cuomo attends the Annual Charity Day hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC and GFI at Cantor Fitzgerald on September 11, 2018 in New York City.
Noam Galai | Getty Images
CNN fired primetime anchor Chris Cuomo on Saturday after “new information” came to light during a review of how he helped his brother and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo respond to sexual harassment allegations.
The news network said it has retained a law firm and will proceed with its investigation “as appropriate” despite Cuomo’s termination. CNN did not provide further detail on what information was uncovered during its review.
Cuomo, in a statement Saturday, said he was disappointed in CNN’s decision.
Cuomo, who has been an anchor at CNN for almost a decade was initially put on an indefinite suspension after the New York state Attorney General released documents showing that the TV personality had a much larger role advising Andrew Cuomo’s aides than previously known.
Chris Cuomo, who was the top-rated anchor at CNN, told investigators he talked with sources in the media to seek intelligence on at least one of his brother’s accusers, according to transcripts.
Cuomo’s termination comes after one of Andrew Cuomo’s accusers, Charlotte Bennett, called on the news network to fire him.
The former governor has denied wrongdoing. He resigned in August after Attorney General Letitia James, a fellow Democrat who is now running for governor herself, released the damning report that included accusations against Andrew Cuomo from about a dozen women
Ratings for Chris Cuomo’s nightly show, “Cuomo Prime Time,” were relatively strong, but recently they fell to a low point.
CNN announced last month that the show averaged 826,000 in total viewers, “delivering the network’s highest rated program in total viewers.” The Wrap reported a week after the ratings announcement that Cuomo’s program had hit an all-time low in the ratings.
— CNBC’s Spencer Kimball contributed to this report.
