CNN’s Chris Cuomo, noting network rules barred him from reporting on sexual harassment claims against his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is speaking out about the scandal.
The CNN host made his comments at the close of his show on Monday night. A clip of the segment was posted on Twitter by Oliver Darcy, senior media reporter for CNN.
“My brother, as you know, resigned as governor of New York and will be stepping down next week,” Cuomo said on the show. “There are a lot of people feeling a lot of hurt and a lot of pain right now.
“My hope is that ultimately everyone involved can get to a better place – that some higher good will be served in all of us. As for me, I’ve told you it’s never easy being in this business and coming from a political family —especially now. This situation is unlike anything I could have imagined.”
He noted his brother has not appeared on his show since the scandal broke.
“I never covered my brother’s troubles because I obviously have a conflict, and there are rules at CNN about that,” he said.
“I also said back then that a day would come when he would have to be held to account and I can’t do that.”
Cuomo maintained he realized he could never report fairly about his family.
“My position has never changed,” he said. “I never misled anyone about the information I was delivering or not delivering on this program. I said point-blank, ‘I can’t be objective when it comes to my family.’
“I never reported on the scandal. And when it happened, I tried to be there for my brother. I’m not an adviser, I’m a brother. I wasn’t in control of anything. I was there to listen, and offer my take.
“And my advice to my brother was simple and consistent – own what you did, tell people what you do to be better, be contrite, and, finally, accept that it doesn’t matter what you intended. What matters is how your actions and words were perceived.
“I did urge my brother to resign when the time came. There are stories and critics saying all kinds of things about me – many unsupported. But know this: my position has never changed. I never misled anyone about the information I was delivering or not delivering on this program.
“I tried to do the right thing and I just want you to know that.”
Andrew Cuomo, who became governor of New York in 2011, announced his resignation after a report from the state's attorney general's office found that he sexually harassed female staffers and violated state and federal laws. The governor said he was resigning so he would not be a distraction.
CNN has called Chris Cuomo's acting as personal adviser to the governor during the scandal "inappropriate."