Huffpost
By Mary Papenfuss
CNN host says his “birthday vacation” has been planned for a long time.
CNN host Chris Cuomo announced he’s taking a weeklong hiatus — just two days after the release of a scathing report by New York’s state attorney general concluding that his brother, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, “sexually harassed multiple women.”
“I’ll be fishing. I’ll be hanging out with you, and I’ll be making memories with the kids, and I’m looking forward to it,” Chris Cuomo told co-host Don Lemon Thursday on their CNN podcast “The Handoff.” Lemon will be joining Cuomo and his wife and children in the Hamptons in Long Island.
Cuomo, who turns 51 Monday, said his “birthday vacation,” beginning Friday, had long been planned, and that he takes it off each year. But the timing was suspicious.
The CNN host has come under fire for advising his brother on how to handle several allegations of sexual harassment when they first emerged, even while continuing to report and comment on news events. The younger Cuomo joined the governor, his top aide, communications team, lawyers and others on a series of conference calls to discuss strategy.
Chris Cuomo apologized to viewers on CNN in May for advising his brother on how to deal with the accusations, saying he made a “mistake,” and that it wouldn’t happen again. “I can be objective about just about any topic. But not about my family,” he said.
CNN issued a statement at the time saying Cuomo’s actions were inappropriate, but opted to take no disciplinary action against him.
The investigation of the governor by AG Letitia James concluded that Cuomo “sexually harassed current and former New York State employees by engaging in unwelcome and non-consensual touching and making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women,” James said Tuesday. His actions “violated federal and state law,” she added.
Gov. Cuomo continues to deny all accusations and is resisting calls to resign, even from President Joe Biden.
Chris Cuomo hasn’t mentioned a word about the report or calls for his brother’s resignation.
