CNN announced today anchor Chris Cuomo has been terminated, “effective immediately.”
“Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s defense,” CNN said in a statement. “We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately.”
“While in the process of that review, additional information has come to light,” CNN continued. “Despite the termination, we will investigate as appropriate.”
Cuomo released his own statement in response.
“This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother. So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot,” Cuomo wrote. “I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”
Scroll below to see social media’s reaction to Chris Cuomo’s dismissal.
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) December 4, 2021
Chris Cuomo fired by CNN. But isn’t that organization responsible for what happened?
— Bill O’Reilly (@BillOReilly) December 4, 2021
This is a stunning thing for @CNN to announce at 5:09 pm on a Saturday afternoon. 1/ https://t.co/pBqz6mpCDc
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) December 4, 2021
That “additional information” must be wild https://t.co/b39zNmtx1C
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) December 4, 2021
It’s great that CNN finally did the right thing. It shouldn’t have taken an investigation by the Attorney General of New York to force the network to do so. https://t.co/syJ9JG8NoZ
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) December 4, 2021
CNN just announced that Chris Cuomo has been fired after a review by an outside law firm in light of the “new information about his involvement in his brother’s defense.” So the suspension was only an interim step
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) December 4, 2021
Better late than never @CNN
This is the correct decision. https://t.co/muR1bdc2Hd
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 4, 2021
Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. https://t.co/yV17Sff3bV
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) December 2, 2021
Actually, CNN should fire whomever allowed Chris Cuomo to interview his governor brother live on air in broad daylight. That’s where his conflict of interest became material.
— Jose A. Del Real (@jdelreal) December 4, 2021
CNN says it is now firing Cuomo because “additional information has come to light.”
What additional information? CNN does not say.
Seems like now is the time for transparency. https://t.co/B1tJMI1jZr
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) December 4, 2021