*Former CNN host Chris Cuomo is reportedly seeking a massive financial settlement from the network following his ouster.
We reported earlier that Cuomo was canned in December, four days after being suspended after an investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James uncovered his efforts to help his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, respond to accusations of sexual misconduct. The sexual harassment allegations forced Andrew Cuomo to resign in August.
“This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” Cuomo said in a statement about his firing. “So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot. I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”
Cuomo’s firing came after the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James released records that revealed he played a greater role in the defense of Andrew Cuomo than was previously known. Information released by James’ office showed that Chris Cuomo checked with sources to find out if stories about his brother’s accusers were forthcoming and gave detailed feedback on his brother’s statements to the press.
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According to multiple reports, Cuomo is prepared to take legal action if CNN fails to pay the remainder of the four-year contract he signed last year. Per New York Post, “his contract was reportedly worth $6 million annually, leaving between $18 million and $20 million that he would be owed, sources said,” the outlet writes.
Multiple sources told Page Six that Cuomo is seeking far more than the $18 million and instead plans to demand up to $60 million. As one source put it, “He wants Megyn Kelly money,” referring to the $69 million she bagged after exiting NBC amid her blackface scandal.
A spokesman for Cuomo told the Wall Street Journal that former CNN President Jeff Zucker knew “about the details of Mr. Cuomo’s support for his brother,” adding, “There were no secrets about this, as other individuals besides Mr. Cuomo can attest.”
One source tells Page Six: “Chris insists he never did anything for his brother Andrew that Zucker didn’t know about.
“His camp believes Zucker wasn’t fired for an inappropriate relationship with Allison Gollust. Everybody knew about that and nobody cared.
“What he believes happened is WarnerMedia found something in their investigation into Chris, perhaps internal memos or documents which revealed more about Zucker’s involvement with Andrew Cuomo. Gollust was just a convenient excuse.”
“Chris intends to fight for every dollar on his contract, and loss of income from the 15 to 20 years left in his career, had Zucker not orchestrated a ‘f–k-job’ on him. He could ask for as much as $80 million but CNN isn’t going to pay that. But there’s an argument he could ask for as much as $60 million”
A second source told Page Six that, “Chris is telling people in the Hamptons he was wrongly fired, humiliated, his career has been ruined, and he wants Megyn Kelly money.”
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