Chris Cuomo’s lawsuit against CNN includes shocking allegations about CNN's corrupt relationship with disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. A Democratic Senator from New York claimed that CNN requested that the governor schedule news conferences at times that would increase CNN's ratings.
His brother, Chris “Fredo” Cuomo, was fired illegally–the gist behind the $125-million claim. He argues that he did not do anything wrong. According to the lawsuit, Cuomo's termination was based on “false claims” that Fredo had violated CNN standards and practices in aiding his brother, Governor Andrew Cuomo, in a period of political and personal crisis.
Cuomo has not yet been awarded a contract. The $125-million figure is based on reputational damage and what remains of Cuomo's contract. This will (hopefully) make it difficult, if not impossible, for Cuomo to find similar work in the future.
Turner's “indefensible” decision to fire Cuomo unceremoniously has caused him countless problems. Cuomo's journalistic integrity has been unjustifiably damaged, making it difficult, if not impossible, for him to find comparable work in the future. Cuomo’s debt is now $125 million. This includes both the salary that Turner owes him and future wages that he lost due to CNN's attempts to ruin his reputation in violation of their agreement. Cuomo is now seeking to recover all of the damages he suffered from Turner and CNN.
Then things get sexy, and revealing… Cuomo accused CNN of having no professional ethics in order to prove that he had not violated CNN's standards or practices. Cuomo basically said, “Hey, everybody was doing it! Even the people in charge!”
CNN has a long-standing tradition of selectively enforcing policies that are based on public perception. CNN encouraged a culture in which “exceptions” were routinely allowed to network standards and practices. This culture started at the top with Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust, and it continues today. Zucker and Gollust would overlook major misconduct by CNN personalities Jake Tapper and Don Lemon, as long as CNN was not hurt.
Cuomo then–tee hee–names names…
JAKE TAPPER
It is easy to see between the lines that Cuomo is furious at Tapper's public criticisms of him. The sanctimonious Tapper has done this more than once. Cuomo believes Tapper has unfairly damaged his reputation and is a hypocrite. CNN's willingness to forgive Tapper's lack of ethics supports his case.
After describing the many times Tapper attacked Cuomo's character, the lawsuit stated that Fox News reported that Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, had repeatedly urged Sean Parnell, a Congressional candidate, not to challenge Conor Lamb but to run for a “safer” district, which is more Republican. Tapper repeated the advice via phone, text, and direct Twitter messages. Fox News was able to obtain one of these messages and publish it. Tapper allegedly reached out to Parnell several times after the story broke to ask him to make a joint declaration to clear Tapper of any obvious violation of journalistic ethics. CNN did not conduct an inquiry into Tapper and did not impose any disciplinary sanctions on him.
This was a major scandal.
DON LEMON
In November 2021, CNN's anchor Don Lemon was widely criticized for his flagrant violation of journalistic ethics. Jussie Smollett, who testified that Lemon texted him to warn him about the fact that Chicago police didn't believe Smollett’s claims of being subjected to a racist and homophobic attack. Lemon had previously covered Smollett’s allegations and his subsequent investigation. He was also prosecuted. So intervening in the ongoing investigation by sending Smollett a text was an unacceptable breach of ethics. CNN ignored Lemon's allegations and did not discipline him in any way.
Who doesn't know?
JEFFREY TOOBIN
The lawsuit also mentions CNN's shocking decision to keep Jeffrey Toobin as a senior legal analyst even “after he masturbated during a video conference with colleagues.”
But the best is saved for last…
JEFF ZUCKER/ALLISON GOLLUST
Fredo's lawsuit claims that Zucker and Gollust knew the extent to which Fredo was helping Governor Brother. Not only did CNN encourage Governor Brother to help them, but Zucker and Gollust also conspired with Governor Brother to increase ratings–and for political purposes.
At the time, Governor Cuomo was making significant contributions to the network through his appearances on Cuomo’s program. CNN, through Zucker and Zucker's second-in-command, Allison Gollust, made an effort to strengthen and cement the network's ties with Governor Cuomo and his government’s control of CNN's media presence. CNN pressured the governor…it pressed the governor.
It gets even better:
Through Zucker and Gollust, CNN also asked that Governor Cuomo hold his COVID-19 daily press conferences at the most appropriate time for CNN, based on its program schedules and when it had the lowest ratings. Imagine the possible quid pro quo with a politician if he agrees to hold press conferences for your network to increase its ratings.
Cuomo alleges that CNN, via Zucker and Gollust, conspired with Andrew Cuomo in order to score political points against Trump. Gollust and Zucker served as advisors to Governor Cuomo, providing him with strategies and talking points to respond to the statements of then-President Donald Trump. CNN was looking out for Cuomo and his reputation to protect their ratings.
It is there…
It is true. This is the kind of stuff you’ve been told for years.
Let's not forget, this stuff shows that every person at CNN has ethical problems. All of them are guilty. They are all corrupt, dishonest hackers, and liars.
This doesn't mean that I support Chris Cuomo. Not at all. This and more than 50 other flagrant ethical violations, as well as staging a fake video in which he allegedly reemerged after a basement quarantine, have made this guy bad news right from the beginning.
CNN is at risk of being vulnerable in the area of selective enforcement of an ethics code it has never had. If this goes to court, and depositions under oath are taken… Oh my!
Bad people turn on others, humiliating, and tattling on them.
It is beautiful.
