Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo filed a demand for arbitration on Wednesday against Turner Services and CNN for $125 million, claiming the network wrongfully terminated his employment.
Cuomo was fired in December 2021 after the network and New York’s Attorney General’s office said he played an active role in giving advice to his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, after several women accused him of sexual harassment.
That includes, the suit continues, “not only the remaining salary owed under the Agreement, but future wages lost as a result of CNN’s efforts to destroy his reputation in violation of the Agreement. Cuomo now seeks to recover the full measure of his damages against Turner and CNN.”
Cuomo’s lawyers further alleged that the former anchor didn’t lie to CNN about his involvement in how he provided advice to former Gov. Cuomo regarding the alleged misconduct, adding that CNN executives also actively assisted the government “both through Chris and directly themselves.”
Previously, Cuomo said that former CNN President Jeff Zucker was aware of his involvement in helping his brother during the scandal. The former Democrat governor announced his resignation in August 2021.
Andrew Cuomo has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying in August that he would resign because he believes the scandal would be too much of a distraction.
Also in Wednesday’s filing, Cuomo’s attorneys alleged that CNN on-air personalities including Don Lemon, Jake Tapper, and Jeffrey Toobin potentially violated the channel’s rules and practices over the years but weren’t punished for doing so.
“As long as CNN’s ratings would not be hurt, Zucker and [former CNN Chief Marketing Officer Allison] Gollust were more than willing to overlook major transgressions by CNN personalities or even engage in blatant misconduct themselves,” they argued.
Zucker resigned after telling CNN’s parent company, WarnerMedia, that he had a romantic relationship with Gollust.
WarnerMedia said last month that an investigation found violations of CNN’s policies by Cuomo, Zucker, and Gollust.
“I realize this news is troubling, disappointing, and frankly painful to read,“ Jason Kilar, CEO of WarnerMedia, said in a statement in February. ”These are valid feelings that many of you have. We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity and those rules must apply to everyone equally.”
Chris Licht, a former MSNBC producer and head of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” was tapped by WarnerMedia to head CNN last month.
The Epoch Times has contacted CNN for comment on Cuomo’s court filing. The network declined to comment when reached by other news outlets.
