The liberal broadcast networks were dragged kicking and screaming when Governor Andrew Cuomo’s (D-NY) sexual misconduct scandals got too big and serious to ignore earlier this year. But now that the investigative report from New York Attorney General Letitia James was out, ABC, CBS, and NBC have omitted how CNN “journalist” and brother to the Governor, Chris Cuomo was exposed as having been a crucial part of the Governor’s defense.
And although all three of their evening newscasts continued to hammer away at Andrew on Wednesday, none of them wanted to damage their industry by admitting that a journalist helped craft the official defense that lied to the public and smeared victims of sexual misconduct. His comes after they skipped it during their morning newscasts.
Instead, we got ABC’s World News Tonight talking about emperor penguins possibly going extinct in the year 2100, the CBS Evening News moaning about former President Obama having to scale back his birthday party, and NBC Nightly News touted President Biden giving $100 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars to Lebanon.
What made NBC's lack of airtime for the story even more egregious was that they actually had a report written up on their website. “Chris Cuomo was in the governor's inner circle as they developed talking points and strategies in late February as accusations threatened the three-term governor,” they reported.
As usual, Fox News Channel’s Special Report had to fill in the gaps the broadcast networks created.
“Chris Cuomo made no mention last night of the scandal that is threatening to drive his brother from office,” media analyst Howard Kurtz report, noting CNN’s ban on Chris reporting on Andrew. “A marked contrast to last year's 11 love-filled appearances on his program when Andrew Cuomo was being hailed during the pandemic.”
Kurtz laid out the evidence of Chris’s unethical involvement as detailed by the AG report and juxtaposed that with his May 20 apology to CNN for embarrassing them when he was first caught:
KURTZ: New York's attorney general uncovered new evidence of Chris Cuomo's involvement in helping his older brother. In February, the CNN host emailed a draft statement of denial to a top aide to his brother with such lines as, “I never intended to offend anyone” and “my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal,” which is precisely what the Governor's statement said. The AG also confirmed that Chris Cuomo joined strategy calls with his brother and top officials.
CUOMO: I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again. It was a mistake because I put my colleagues here, who I believe are the best in the business in a bad spot.
“CNN called those efforts ‘inappropriate’ but took no action and had no comment today,” he added.
CNN has also not responded to NewsBusters’s request for comment.
And as he wrapped the segment, Kurtz noted that, yes, “the Cuomos are obviously a close-knit Democratic dynasty … but actively plotting his defense crosses a line.” He added: “The larger mistake was for CNN to allow the coverage when the Governor was riding high and pull the plug when his political fortunes crashed.”
And as NewsBusters reported last night, there were calls from across the political and media spectrum for Chris to go. But the broadcast networks (ABC in particular since Chris used to work there), with their large audiences, didn’t want to make all journalists look bad by holding up one of their own.
The network blackout of Chris Cuomo’s role in the Governor Cuomo’s sexual misconduct scandal was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Allegra on ABC and Ensure on CBS and NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
August 4, 2021
6:04:13 p.m. EasternSHANNON BREAM: The mainstream media turn on Cuomo has been whiplash-inducing. Once a darling of the press, the governor tonight is a pariah. He’s also a major problem for one particular media personality. Fox News media analyst and host Fox’s MediaBuzz Howard Kurtz has the story.
[Cuts to video]
CHRIS CUOMO: I'm Chris Cuomo welcome to Prime Time. We’re focused on COVID here.
HOWARD KURTZ: Chris Cuomo made no mention last night of the scandal that is threatening to drive his brother from office. Cuomo was unable to address it because he and the network have decided he cannot cover the New York governor in any way. A marked contrast to last year's 11 love-filled appearances on his program when Andrew Cuomo was being hailed during the pandemic.
C. CUOMO: Thank you for coming back to the show.
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): Mom told me I had to.
KURTZ: When the shower. Allegations surfaced, CNN reinstated an earlier ban on Cuomo on Cuomo coverage.
C. CUOMO: Obviously, I'm aware of what is going on with my brother. And, obviously, I cannot cover it because he is my brother.
KURTZ: New York's attorney general uncovered new evidence of Chris Cuomo's involvement in helping his older brother. In February, the CNN host emailed a draft statement of denial to a top aide to his brother with such lines as, “I never intended to offend anyone” and “my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal,” which is precisely what the Governor's statement said. The AG also confirmed that Chris Cuomo joined strategy calls with his brother and top officials.
C. CUOMO: I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again. It was a mistake because I put my colleagues here, who I believe are the best in the business in a bad spot.
KURTZ: CNN called those efforts “inappropriate” but took no action and had no comment today.
The media establishment has turned sharply against the governor who was lionized for his early handling of COVID-19. The New York Times says if Andrew Cuomo cares about the people of the state, he should resign. The Washington Post says there's no longer any doubt about Cuomo's fitness to remain in office.
[Cuts back to live]
The Cuomos are obviously a close-knit Democratic dynasty and of course, Chris Cuomo is going to defend his brother. But actively plotting his defense crosses a line. The larger mistake was for CNN to allow the coverage when the Governor was riding high and pull the plug when his political fortunes crashed. Shannon.
BREAM: Howard Kurtz. Thanks so much, Howie.
