Disgraced former anchorman Chris Cuomo was fired from CNN after the “news” network learned that he allegedly sexually assaulted a young ABC News staffer, according to a new report.
The report from the New York Times details what led to Cuomo’s firing from CNN, completing his fall from grace as the network’s “star” host.
According to the Times report, Cuomo sexually assaulted a young ABC staffer when they both worked for the network.
The victim reportedly came forward to CNN and revealed that he pressured her to keep the “secret” assault to herself and bought her silence.
The report includes a letter that prominent attorney Debra Katz sent to CNN detailing the accusation against Cuomo.
“It relayed a story that had begun in 2011 when the woman, who was referred to as Jane Doe, was a young temporary ABC employee hoping for a full-time job,” the Times claimed.
“One day, after Mr. Cuomo, an anchor, had offered her career advice, he invited her to lunch in his office, according to the letter, interviews with the woman, and emails between her and Mr. Cuomo.
“When she arrived, there was no food. Instead, Mr. Cuomo badgered her for sex, and after she declined, he assaulted her, she said.
“She ran out of the room.”
The young ABC staffer told “five friends and former colleagues” about “unwelcome sexual requests” but was worried about her career and so remained silent.
She even sent Cuomo some emails to try to smooth things over.
But when the #metoo movement happened, Cuomo was terrified of getting outed and reached out to her “seemingly out of the blue” to try to buy her silence.
The letter Katz wrote says “at the height of the #MeToo uprising,” Cuomo “proposed arranging a CNN segment about the company where she worked doing public relations.
“The woman tried to avoid any contact with Mr. Cuomo, but CNN ultimately broadcast a segment anyway.”
“After years without any substantive communication from Mr. Cuomo whatsoever, Ms. Doe suspected he was concerned about her coming forward publicly with her allegations and wanted to use the proposed segment as an opportunity to ‘test the waters’ and discourage her from going on the record about his sexual misconduct,” Katz wrote.
She added her client did not want to become “a pawn in an internecine war between Zucker, Chris Cuomo, and CNN.”
Cuomo denied the claim.
A representative for Cuomo said the claims “Are false.
“He was never asked about the allegations prior to being terminated or given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.”
From The New York Post:
Chris Cuomo allegedly attacked a female ABC News temp worker when she denied his proposition for sex during a “lunch” in his office, it was revealed on Tuesday.
The accusation was made to CNN lawyers in December hours after Cuomo was suspended for advising his brother, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, how to dodge his own sexual harassment accusations, according to the New York Times. The CNN host was fired days later.
The unnamed accuser had come forward after Chris Cuomo was suspended from the network on Nov. 30 for helping Gov. Cuomo try to beat back the multiple allegations that ultimately ended his political career, the report said.
NEW: How a secret two-part allegation against Chris Cuomo helped upend CNN. (Thread.) https://t.co/rqgg1poPrH
— Jodi Kantor (@jodikantor) February 16, 2022
Brand new memo from Jason Kilar: “The investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo.” pic.twitter.com/Xu1HQJw9cT
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 16, 2022
