NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Lawyer Normal Letitia James on Thursday launched closing video proof associated to her investigation into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
For the primary time we’re listening to testimony from Cuomo’s brother, Chris, who was finally fired from CNN for helping the disgraced governor, CBS2’s Jessica Moore reported.
“It was crucial to me that my brother not recommend that all the pieces that occurred was OK simply because he meant it in a benign approach, that that’s not the way it works,” Chris Cuomo mentioned.
FLASHBACK: CNN Anchor Chris Cuomo Apologizes For Getting Involved In Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Sex Harassment Scandal
Testimony reveals how intimately concerned Chris Cuomo was in advising his brother, then-governor of New York, on cope with the a number of sexual harassment allegations in opposition to him.
“I felt like I used to be pushing that that is actual. It must be handled and owned, must be completed, and the thought of two sides to this doesn’t exist in our media tradition or within the Democratic political tradition,” Chris Cuomo mentioned
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Chris Cuomo admits giving his brother recommendation, after accuser Charlotte Bennett got here ahead.
“Inform the reality and also you inform it now. And I bear in mind different individuals being extra deliberative about it,” Chris Cuomo mentioned.
Watch extra of Chris Cuomo’s testimony —
He mentioned his brother’s workers continuously sought recommendation from the then-CNN anchor, particularly after the governor’s Feb. 27 assertion denying all allegations in opposition to him.
“What did you hear? How’s he taking part in? What are you aware, you understand, about the way it’s being perceived? What are individuals saying to you?” Chris Cuomo mentioned.
READ MORE: AP: Chris Cuomo Accused Of Sexual Harassment Days Before CNN Firing
He additionally admitted to wording statements for Andrew Cuomo’s aides to make use of on the governor’s behalf and requested to be stored within the loop about PR methods, and testified he used his journalistic sources to remain on prime of the allegations.
At one level, prime Andrew Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa texted Chris Cuomo, saying, “Rumor going round from Politico 1-2 extra individuals popping out tomorrow. Are you able to test your sources?”
Chris Cuomo responded, “On it.”
In his testimony, when requested if he checked his sources, Chris Cuomo mentioned, “I used to be often involved after we would hear phrase that there have been different individuals popping out or there was extra to be realized about anyone. I might speak to different journalists to listen to what they’d heard.”
Chris Cuomo additionally testified he advised actor Alec Baldwin to remain out of it, after Baldwin supplied to defend Cuomo in opposition to cancel tradition.
Chris Cuomo additionally tried to discredit the governor’s accusers, particularly Anna Ruch, who claims Andrew Cuomo made undesirable bodily advances towards her at a marriage.
“My good friend had heard that perhaps she had been put as much as it. I then had a cellphone name with Melissa and/or Josh and was advised that this was the marriage of one of many individuals,” Chris Cuomo mentioned.
CNN fired Chris Cuomo in December, after the written transcript of his testimony was launched.
Chris Cuomo additionally testified he advised his brother his conduct represented dangerous judgment and shouldn’t have occurred.
The one prison cost filed in opposition to the previous governor was dropped earlier in January.
