former CNN Host Chris Cuomo, left, interviewing his brother, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo during COVID pandemic 2020
By Dan Murphy
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo used his family relationship with his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, and his old working relationship with Allison Gollust to suggest the questions that would be asked of him during his run of COVID pandmic interviews starting in March of 2020.
At the time, Cuomo was at the peak of power in New York state, and across the country, admired for his candor and compassion during the worst times of the coronavirus in the Big Apple. Many were proposing that Andrew run as Joe Biden’s vice-president or that he wait to run for president in 2024.
Published reports now state that Andew Cuomo used his ties to CNN to operate a ‘Quiz Show scandal’ of sorts, where he knew what the questions would be, and in return, he would play the part of dutiful Governor, pretending to answer the questions off the cuff.
According to one of many New York Times stories about the CNN removal of Chairman Jeff Zucker, his deputy and lover, Allison Gollust, and prime time host Chris Cuomo, (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/business/media/allison-gollust-cnn-cuomo.html)
CNN’s temporary new leaders Michael Bass and Ken Jautz, said on a Zoom call with employees that “Ms. Gollust had committed serious violations of the network’s journalistic standards.”
The Quiz show scandals of the 1950’s had popular contestants secretly given the questions and answers before the show. The resulting uncovering of the truth resulted in the shaming of network executives and the contestants who cheated those who watched them under false pretenses.
The same has now happened to CNN and to Andrew Cuomo. And it was the former Governor who got the ball rolling on his Quiz show scandal when he suggested to Gollust that brother Chris and others ask him a set of suggested questions.
The Times story claims that the scheme involved CNN producers. Gollust’s attorney Risa Heller told the Times that her clients actions were “appropriate” and that her clients firing was “retaliation,” apparently referring to Gollust relationship with Zucker.
Putting aside that the news network formerly knows as “The Most Trusted Name in News” has some issues to rebuild trust with its audience, the discovery about former Governor Cuomo is just the latest in what seems to be a weekly bit of bad news.
Andrew Cuomo is being sued by a former female state Trooper for sexual harassment. We still don’t know her name, but trooper #1 as she was called in Attorney General Tish James’ report detailing allegations of sexual harassment made against the former Gov. by 11 women.
Claiming that Cuomo “violated her,” and that the incidents of groping were covered up by the NY State Police and Cuomo’s former Secretary Melissa DeRosa.
He also “used his physical proximity to Trooper 1 to touch her inappropriately,” including by running “his finger down the center of my back of my spine, basically from the top of my neck, basically midway down with his pointer finger and just said, ‘Hey, you,’” the suit claims.
Cuomo’s spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, said “If kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone on the back or stomach or waving hello at a public event on New Year’s Eve is actionable, then we are all in trouble. Gov. Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop — we look forward to justice in a court of law.”
The ditry politics that Azzopardi is referring to is pointed towards AG James, but his comment accusing the trooper of extortion could present another legal problem.
And only two weeks ago, Andrew Cuomo had his lakeys toss out the possibility that he might run for political office again. That non starter of an idea can be rejected when you ask two questions. Under what party will Cuomo be running on, and for what office?
