Chris Cuomo, host of CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time, used his media sources to dig up info on his brother, former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s, sexual harassment accusers, according to texts and interview transcripts recently revealed.
Text messages released by New York Attorney General Letitia James show Chris Cuomo had frequent contact with Melissa DeRosa, Andrew Cuomo’s top aide at the time.
In early March, the New York Times reported that the former governor tried kissing a woman, Anna Ruch, without her consent. Three days after this report, Chris Cuomo texted DeRosa, “I have a lead on the wedding girl.”
Other messages indicated Chris Cuomo’s willingness to help with his brother’s response and preparation on the sexual harassment allegations. “Please let me help with the prep,” Cuomo told DeRosa in one text.
In another text, Chris Cuomo sent DeRosa a fully written statement for the governor to use publicly:
I will not resign, I cannot resign. I understand the political pressure I understand the stakes of political warfare, and that’s what this is… And I understand the conformity that can be forced by cancel culture.
DeRosa texted Cuomo, “Rumor going around from politico 1-2 more ppl coming out tomorrow. Can u check your sources?” Cuomo replied with, “On it,” then followed up with, “No one has heard that yet.”
Cuomo and DeRosa also discussed an investigative story from New Yorker reporter Ronan Farrow four days before it was published on March 18. “If If ronan has nothing better than boylan thats a great sign,” Chris Cuomo texted DeRosa on March 14.
Lindsey Boylan was a former aide to the governor who alleged that Andrew Cuomo said to her, “Let’s play strip poker” while on a private plane.
Amid these text messages, CNN parent company Warner Media denied the former governor used his brother’s prepared remarks. “The claim that Chris dictated his brother’s statements is false,” a Warner Media spokesperson told Business Insider.
However, CNN said they would be doing a “thorough review and consideration” of the recently revealed documents.
CNN spokesperson Matt Dornic said:
The thousands of pages of additional transcripts and exhibits that were released today by the NY Attorney General deserve a thorough review and consideration. We will be having conversations and seeking additional clarity about their significance as they relate to CNN over the next several days.
Former Gov. Cuomo resigned from office in August after Attorney General James issued a report on his alleged misconduct. Andrew Cuomo’s team criticized James, who is now running for New York governor.
Rich Azzopardi, Andrew Cuomo’s spokesperson said:
James violated the law in appointing biased reviewers and then she admitted personally interfering in the investigation.Today’s manipulated release of hand-picked witness testimony with selective redactions is typical.
“It is also no coincidence that she decided to release select transcripts minutes before one of her rivals declared for governor,” Azzopardi continued. “New Yorkers are no one’s fool and James and her colleagues’ obvious misuse of government resources to damage political opponents is as obvious and repugnant as it is unethical and illegal.”
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