Chris Cuomo was suspended by CNN on Tuesday after it was revealed that he tried to help his brother, Andrew Cuomo, who was accused of sexual harassment.
Chris Cuomo apologized for advising Andrew Cuomo's senior political aides, but thousands of pages of new evidence released on Monday by the New York attorney general revealed that the anchor's role had been more intimate and involved.
CNN said in a statement on Tuesday that the documents raise serious questions.
Chris broke our rules when he admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother's staff. He understood his need to put family first and his job second and we appreciated that. The documents show a greater level of involvement in his brother's work.
Chris was suspended indefinitely, pending further evaluation, the network said.
Chris Cuomo sent scores of emails and text messages to his brother and his inner circle, asking for help with the prep and trying to find out the status of pending articles.
At one point, Andrew Cuomo's former top aide asked the anchor if he could check his sources to see if he was telling the truth about a rumor that Politico was working on an article that included additional accusations. Chris Cuomo was asked about it.
CNN had stood by its top-rated anchor even as a series of uncomfortable revelations raised questions about the network's adherence to journalistic standards, but Chris Cuomo's involvement with his brother's governorship has proved a slow- moving headaches for the network.
CNN president Jeff Zucker did not discipline Mr. Cuomo after it was reported that he had had strategy sessions with his brother's political team.
This week presented a harsher set of facts for Mr. Zucker as he weighed the fate of his host.
The text from Mr. Cuomo to Ms. DeRosa was included in Ms. James's report. The anchor wrote in the text that he had a lead on the wedding girl.
Chris Cuomo told investigators that he had heard from a friend that she might have been put up to it. He said that Andrew Cuomo's aides denied him of that notion and that he set his friend's claim aside. He said that was that.
Tiffany Hsu was involved in reporting.
