'it hurts to even say it'
Chris Cuomo calls CNN suspension 'embarrassing' but says 'I understand it'
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo says he's embarrassed to have been suspended following new revelations about his efforts to help his brother amid a sexual harassment scandal.
Cuomo, the host of Cuomo Prime Time, on his radio show on Wednesday addressed CNN's decision to suspend him from the air, telling listeners, "It hurts to even say it. It's embarrassing, but I understand it, and I understand why some people feel the way they do about what I did."
Cuomo was suspended after the New York attorney general's office released emails that CNN said showed he had a "greater level of involvement" than previously known in defending his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), from allegations of sexual harassment. The governor resigned in office due to the allegations, which he denied.
The network acknowledged in May that it was "inappropriate" for the anchor to advise his brother amid the scandal and participate in "conversations that included members of the governor's staff." At the time, though, CNN declined to discipline him, and the network said Tuesday it "appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second."
CNN also said, though, that it wasn't aware of Cuomo's additional involvement until the attorney general's office released the new documents this week. Among the details revealed in the emails was that Cuomo said he would "reach out to" sources amid his brother's harassment scandal to "see if they had heard of anybody else coming out."
On his radio show, Cuomo said that the "last thing I ever wanted to do" was to "compromise any of my colleagues," but he said he wouldn't comment on the situation further in order to "respect" CNN's process. The network said that Cuomo would be suspended "pending further evaluation."