CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was among a group of advisors not employed by New York state who were provided confidential and privileged information by the Executive Chamber as his brother Gov. Andrew Cuomo tried to respond to a slew of sexual harassment allegations earlier this year, Attorney General Letitia James’ report revealed.
In the report, investigators led by Joon Kim and Anne Clark wrote that it was “revealing” that the governor enlisted a number of confidantes to respond to the allegations — including Chris Cuomo and political operative Lis Smith — who were never employed by the state.
“None of them was officially retained in any capacity by the Executive Chamber or any of the individuals involved,” the report states.
“Nonetheless, they were regularly provided with confidential and often privileged information about state operations and helped make decisions that impacted State business and employees—all without any formal role, duty, or obligation to the State,” it adds.
On Feb. 28, Chris Cuomo sent an email to other advisors of the governor with a proposed statement he appears to have drafted or edited on his brother’s behalf in response to Bennett’s accusations.
“Questions have been raised about some of my past interactions with people in the office. I spend most of my life at work and colleagues are often also personal friends. I never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm,” the proposed statement by Chris for Andrew Cuomo reads.
“Sometimes I am playful and make jokes. You have seen me do it at briefings hundreds of times. My only desire is to add some levity and banter to what is a very serious business,” it adds.
“I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in way I never intended. I’m sorry and feel deeply embarrassed about that,” the statement says.
CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was revealed in May that Chris Cuomo was enlisted to advise his brother as the sprawling sexual harassment scandal threatened to engulf his administration.
The CNN anchor apologized for doing so after his role was exposed in the press.
Chris Cuomo previously landed in hot water with the network over interviews he did with his brother during the COVID-19 pandemic — while failing to ever address the governor’s related nursing-home death scandal.
