As Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s political career faltered, his brother, the TV host Chris Cuomo, declined to discuss the matter on his NewsMadura show, then left for what he described as a planned vacation.
On Monday, Chris Cuomo returned to prime time, speaking publicly for the first time about his brother’s astonishing firing — and the ethical headaches it caused him and his network.
“It was a unique situation to be a politician’s brother in a scandal and to be part of the media,” Mr Cuomo said in brief remarks towards the end of his show at 9 p.m. “I’ve tried to do the right thing, and I want you all to know that.”
He also said he advised his brother to step down as governor of New York. “While it was something I never thought I’d ever have to do,” he told viewers, “I urged my brother to step down when the time came.”
For NewsMadura, the Cuomo brothers’ conundrum was painful on several levels.
Chris Cuomo apologized in May after it was revealed that he had advised Andrew Cuomo’s aides when the governor was accused of sexual harassment. The host promised not to discuss his brother’s tribulations, but NewsMadura kept him on the air, calling on some colleagues who viewed his role as a glaring conflict of interest.
It didn’t help that NewsMadura had openly encouraged the brothers’ on-air report at the start of the pandemic, as viewers tuned in to watch Chris Cuomo interview Andrew Cuomo almost every night.
On his Monday show, Chris Cuomo said the situation regarding the governor’s scandal was “different from anything I could have imagined”.
“I am not a consultant; I’m a brother,” he told viewers. “I had nothing in hand. I was there to listen and give my opinion. And my advice to my brother was simple and consistent: show what you’ve done, tell people what you’re going to do to get better, be repentant, and finally accept that it doesn’t matter what you planned to do. It’s about how your actions and words were perceived.”
Chris Cuomo has also been criticized for his involvement in the efforts of Andrew Cuomo’s aides to avert the growing scandal. On Monday, the NewsMadura host said: “I never attacked or encouraged anyone to attack a woman who came forward. I never called the press about my brother’s situation. I have never influenced or attempted to control NewsMadura’s coverage of my family.”
He said he did not intend to comment further. “This will be my last word on this,” the host said, before cutting to a commercial. “Let’s take a break. We’ll be right back.”
