Chris Cuomo accuser: On-air "hypocrisy" spurred report
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Journalist Chris Cuomo. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images
A woman who accused fired CNN journalist Chris Cuomo of sexual misconduct said Sunday she decided to come forward after learning of his comments about women who made similar accusations about his brother. He denies her allegations.
Why it matters: Her attorney Debra Katz said in a statement that she heard "the hypocrisy" of his on-air words about his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and was "disgusted by his efforts to try to discredit these women," so "retained counsel to report his serious sexual misconduct against her to CNN."
- CNN confirmed Saturday it had fired Chris Cuomo after learning of "additional information" while conducting a legal review into his involvement in the management of allegations against his brother — who's under investigation for misconduct allegations, which he denies.
- Hours later, the New York Times reported that Katz had informed the network last Wednesday of the sexual misconduct allegation.
Driving the news: Katz said her client wished to remain anonymous due to the nature of the allegations, but she came forward "because she felt in sharing her story and related documentation, she could help protect other women."
- "CNN acted promptly on my client’s complaint and fired Mr. Cuomo," Katz added.
- Katz did not outline details of her client's allegation, but it's believed to relate to a time before the journalist joined CNN in 2013, per AP, which notes he was at ABC News before that.
What they're saying: Steven Goldberg, a spokesperson for Chris Cuomo, denied the allegation in a statement to news outlets.
- "If the goal in making these false and unvetted accusations was to see Mr. Cuomo punished by CNN, that may explain his unwarranted termination," he said.
- Chris Cuomo has previously said on air that he "never attacked, nor encouraged anyone to attack, any woman who came forward" and that he "never made calls to the press about my brother's situation."
Flashback: Shelley Ross, a broadcast journalist and a former executive producer for ABC News, accused Chris Cuomo in a New York Times op-ed of sexual harassment at a 2005 event while he worked for ABC. She said he hugged her and squeezed her buttock.
- He responded to the allegation at the time, saying: "As Shelley acknowledges, our interaction was not sexual in nature. ... I apologized to her then, and I meant it."
- CNN did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
