Chris Wallace leaving Fox News, joining CNN+ streaming service

CNN suspends Chris Cuomo indefinitely

The benched anchorman is declining to comment.

A second hour of “Anderson Cooper 360” will air in Cuomo’s place on Tuesday night.

Tuesday’s announcement about the suspension was the equivalent of a cable news shockwave. Cuomo’s 9 p.m. program is frequently CNN’s most-watched hour of the day. He is a larger-than-life presence at the network. And he was determined to stay on TV this year despite a flurry of sexual misconduct allegations against his brother, which culminated in the governor’s resignation three months ago.

“The New York Attorney General’s office released transcripts and exhibits Monday that shed new light on Chris Cuomo’s involvement in his brother’s defense,” a CNN spokesperson said Tuesday evening. “The documents, which we were not privy to before their public release, raise serious questions.”

“When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly,” the spokesperson continued. “But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second.”

“However, these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother’s efforts than we previously knew,” the spokesperson added. “As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation.”

The suspension came after significant criticism from people who noted that Chris Cuomo had violated widely accepted journalistic norms. Inside CNN, staffers expressed dismay about the anchor’s conduct. Charlotte Bennett, a former aide to Andrew Cuomo who came forward in February to accuse him of sexual harassment, called for CNN to “immediately take action.”
“Anything short of firing Chris Cuomo reflects a network lacking both morals and a backbone,” Bennett said in a tweet Tuesday.

The “Cuomo Prime Time” team had been planning for Tuesday’s broadcast up until the announcement of Chris Cuomo’s suspension, a person familiar with the matter said. Cooper’s team was also blindsided by the news and left scrambling to fill the extra hour.

After the news was made public, an emotional Chris Cuomo met with the show’s staff.

The documents released by New York Attorney General Letitia James included text messages and transcripts of interviews with investigators who led the probe into allegations against the governor.

The cache of documents included text messages between Chris Cuomo and Melissa DeRosa, a then-top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, that suggested he was instrumental in working to craft a defense against a flood of sexual misconduct allegations.

The text messages also revealed that Chris Cuomo sought to use his connections in the press to help prepare the then-governor’s team as accusers started to make their stories public.

Chris Cuomo also acknowledged to investigators that he did attempt to learn more about a story by journalist Ronan Farrow. The anchor defended the practice as conventional.

“The idea of one reporter calling another to find out about what’s coming down the pipe is completely business-as-usual,” he said.

When Andrew Cuomo resigned as governor in August, Chris Cuomo told CNN viewers that he was “not an advisor,” but “a brother.” He acknowledged that he talked with his brother’s aides and gave his “take” until CNN told him to stop doing so in May.

The “Cuomo Prime Time” anchor also said on the air in August, “I never attacked nor encouraged anyone to attack any woman who came forward. I never made calls to the press about my brother’s situation.”

Monday’s revelations cast some doubt on his statement about his interactions with the press.

“I would — when asked, I would reach out to sources, other journalists, to see if they had heard of anybody else coming out,” Chris Cuomo said during testimony.

Chris Cuomo also said under oath what he told CNN viewers earlier this year: That he “never influenced or attempted to control CNN’s coverage of my family.”

During the questioning, he reiterated that sentiment, saying, “If I had tried to influence any of the reporting at CNN or anywhere else, I guarantee you people would know, and so would a lot of others.”

In its May statement, CNN had said, “Chris has not been involved in CNN’s extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomo — on air or behind the scenes.” The network’s statement added, “In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother. However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the Governor’s staff, which Chris acknowledges. He will not participate in such conversations going forward.”

The anchor at the time also took to his show to say that he is “family first and job second” and apologized for how he helped his brother.

“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,” he said. “I never intended for that I would never intend for that and I am sorry for that.”

While a report on the sexual misconduct allegations against Andrew Cuomo was released in August, James’ office continues with a separate investigation into allegations he misused state resources for the development, production and promotion of a book he wrote on the pandemic.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Andrew Cuomo, called the latest release of transcripts, documents and videos a “manipulated release.”

“New Yorkers are no one’s fool and James and her colleagues’ obvious misuse of government resources to damage political opponents is as obvious and repugnant as it is unethical and illegal,” Azzopardi said in a statement.

CNN’s Sonia Moghe contributed to this report.

Dodgers vs Cardinals: Live NL wild-card game updates, highlights as Chris Taylor’s walk-off HR sends Dodgers to NLCS

Tommy Edman prospects off the recreation with a bloop one to appropriate area off Max Scherzer, which he follows up by thieving next on a 2-1 depend to Paul Goldschmidt, who would then be walked by Scherzer on a skipped entire-depend changeup. Following Edman advanced to 3rd on a Tyler O’Neill fly ball, he arrived home on a Will Smith passed ball to give the Cardinals an early 1- direct.

Rob Biertempfel, Pirates defeat writer: I’m often stunned when I listen to that Dodgers Stadium is 3rd-oldest park in the majors. It so timeless, so pure. Guaranteed, there are not the bells and whistles you obtain at Oracle Park or PNC Park or Camden Yards, but Dodger Stadium stays of the ideal places to see a ball activity.

Eno Sarris, baseball author: There’s a ton of heritage involving these two teams. Incredibly, they’ve played 2091 game titles and the Cardinals direct the collection 1047-1044! Can the Dodgers close the gap?

Fabian Ardaya, Dodgers beat writer: Cardinals have plenty of pace. Something to enjoy tonight with how opponents have attacked the Dodgers when they get on the bases this year.

Nick Groke, Rockies conquer author: Currently being a few of aged-timey golf equipment, the Dodgers and Cardinals are, of study course, widespread postseason opponents. They have confronted each individual in six postseasons, which is third-most in baseball’s historical past. And the Cardinals gained four of the past 5 matchups. The Yankees and Giants have noticed each other 7 instances in the postseason. The Reds vs. Pirates and Yankees vs. Twins have confronted off most typically, in 11 postseasons every single.

Biertempfel: You’re exhibiting your age, Nick, with that Pirates-Reds reference They fulfilled in the 2013 wild-card game, of course, but most notably in the ’70s when it was the Lumber Enterprise vs the Major Red Machine. As the Pirates beat author, I have seen Adam Wainwright toss far more good games than I can try to remember. Then most modern was back in August, when he threw a two-strike shutout at PNC Park — on 88 pitches! He struck out 7 and walked none. Loads of smooth make contact with. He ran the two-seamer to both equally sides of the plate and suckered the Pirates with untouchable curveballs at 70-78 mph. A masterpiece. It occurred a few of weeks in advance of Waino’s 40th birthday and manufactured him the oldest pitcher to blank the Pirates considering the fact that Phil Niekro (42) in 1981.

Katie Woo, Cardinals defeat writer: Really standard Cardinals compact ball led to their very first operate of the match. Tommy Edman timed up Max Scherzer’s curveball properly and blooped it into right industry for a leadoff solitary. He highly developed to 2nd when Paul Goldschmidt walked and took 3rd very easily on Tyler O’Neill’s foul out to deep suitable. When Scherzer’s wild pitch scampered absent from Will Smith, Edman raced house and scored effortlessly.

St. Louis has ran the bases aggressively and competently all 12 months extended. In a winner-take-all recreation like this, gaining an more 90 toes is essential. Their pace and clever baserunning could definitely clearly show up as an gain below.