Chris Cuomo the disgraced television host has recently locked horns with his former employer, CNN, by filing a wrongful termination suit seeking $125 million in damages.
In Cuomo’s court filing he dropped a series of bombshells accusing his former coworkers, colleagues, and supervisors of a long list of ethical violations.
1) Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust obtained favors from the former Governor of New York
Chris Cuomo’s older brother, Andrew Cuomo, served as the 56th Governor of New York before resigning amid a series of sexual harassment allegations. Chris alleged that Zucker and Gollust abused their relationship with Gov. Cuomo to obtain covid tests during the early stages of the pandemic when tests were not readily available.
2) Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust advised Gov. Cuomo on how to rebuttal President Donald Trump
Cuomo’s filing alleged that Zucker and Gollust violated journalistic ethics as they “acted as advisors to [Governor] Cuomo … by providing him with talking points and strategies for responding to statements made by then-President Donald Trump.”
3) Jason Kilar allegedly defamed Chris Cuomo
Jason Kilar, the chief executive of Warner Media, CNN’s parent company, allegedly defamed Chris Cuomo when he suggested that he failed to uphold the “highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN.”
4) Jake Tapper alleged that Chris Cuomo threatened to compromise Jeff Zucker
Chris Cuomo’s coworker at CNN, Jake Tapper, allegedly defamed Cuomo when he accused the former anchor of putting CNN “in a bad spot” and said that he attempted to threaten his boss, Jeff Zucker, by suggesting he might leak damaging information unless he was provided a severance package upon his termination from the company.
5) Jake Tapper provided unethical advice to political candidates
Chris Cuomo alleged that Jake Tapper urged the former congressional candidate from Pennsylvania, Sean Parnell, not to run against an incumbent candidate but find a “safer, more heavily Republican district” to run in.
6) Don Lemon accused Chris Cuomo of unethical conduct
Chris Cuomo’s colleague Don Lemon allegedly defamed Cuomo by claiming that he violated “journalistic standard” was paid “handsomely for it.”
7) Chris Cuomo accused Don Lemon of “flagrant” ethical misconduct
Chris Cuomo accused his colleague Don Lemon of “a flagrant breach of journalistic ethics” when he alerted actor Jussie Smollett via text message that the Chicago Police did not believe the actor’s claims of suffering a racist and homophobic hate crime.
8) Chris Cuomo accused Anderson cooper of defamation
Chris Cuomo said that his colleague at CNN, Anderson Cooper, defamed him by accusing him of breaching ethical standards when he said, “[J]ournalists have strict ethics and strict rules that we are to abide by, and if you don’t abide by them, there are repercussions.”
9) Chris Cuomo accused Brian Stelter of defamation
Cuomo’s filing alleged that Brian Stelter, his colleague at CNN, defamed him by claiming that sources at CNN accused Cuomo of “trying to burn the place down” and that Cuomo “would seek vengeance for his termination.”
10) Chris Cuomo alleges that CNN viewed him as less valuable after his brother resigned from office
The filing attributed accusations against him and his termination in early December of 2021 to the fact that his brother —Andrew Cuomo — resigning from political office lessened his value to the network. The filing states: “Because [Chris] Cuomo was so strongly linked to Gov. Cuomo, whose political standing and corresponding value to CNN had turned dramatically, CNN falsely