Democratic New York Assemblyman Ron Kim lashed out Wednesday at former CNN host Chris Cuomo for reportedly demanding a $60 million payout from CNN.
“Privileged dude born on third base who covered up for his brother’s eldercide, violated all journalistic ethics, plays the victim card,” Kim tweeted. CNN recently fired Chris Cuomo for helping coach his brother, former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, through multiple scandals.
Privileged dude born on third base who covered up for his brother’s eldercide, violated all journalistic ethics, plays the victim card. https://t.co/mheRqiTEnw
— Ron T. Kim (@rontkim) February 9, 2022
Kim contributed to the push to get Andrew Cuomo out of office after officials discovered over 10,000 nursing home residents died from COVID-19 instead of the 6,342 initially reported by the CDC. Andrew Cuomo was also accused of having his aides falsify data to make it look like fewer nursing home residents had died in New York than privately known. (RELATED: Cuomo Misled The Public Using Nursing Home Figures His Top Aides Manipulated)
Kim publically criticized Andrew Cuomo for the thousands of nursing home deaths and his frequent appearances on his brother’s CNN show, where the brothers made jokes about the pandemic and praised Andrew’s response to COVID-19.
“I turned the TV on and I see his brother and Andrew cracking jokes. I stopped watching TV for six months,” Kim said on Fox News.
After the meeting revealing that New York’s public COVID-19 numbers for nursing homes were false, the former governor allegedly sent him threatening messages “loud enough for [his] wife to hear,” Kim said on MSNBC. Kim told the hosts that his wife was “in shock.” “She didn’t get any sleep that night,” he remarked.
“For 10 minutes he berated me. He yelled at me. He told me that my career would be over,” Kim said. Kim accused Andrew Cuomo of telling him to issue a false statement about a meeting where officials revealed the accurate nursing home data.
CNN fired Chris Cuomo from his primetime slot after investigations into his participation in the coverup of sexual assault allegations against his brother soured.
“Chris Cuomo was suspended earlier this week pending further evaluation of new information that came to light about his involvement with his brother’s defense. We retained a respected law firm to conduct the review, and have terminated him, effective immediately,” CNN said in a statement.
Longtime CEO of CNN Jeff Zucker resigned from his post after the investigation into Chris Cuomo uncovered Zucker was having a relationship with one of his female colleagues, Allison Gollust.
“I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn’t. I was wrong. As a result, I am resigning today,” Zucker said in a letter to CNN employees.
After Zucker resigned, allegations were made that he and Gollust were closer with the Cuomo brothers than previously known and helped coach Andrew Cuomo through his COVID-19 press tour, according to The New York Post.
“Zucker and Gollust even advised Andrew what to say — how to respond and particularly how to hit back at [President Donald] Trump to make it more compelling TV,” a source told the New York Post.