On Thursday, Project Veritas released an undercover video from March of CNN staff discussing the network’s handling of Chris Cuomo. The video appears to have been filmed in at least three takes.
CNN Technical Director Charlie Chester is surreptitiously filmed explaining CNN prohibited network anchor Chris Cuomo from having his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, appear on his show. The clip was embedded in a report from The Post Millennial.
“Do we know where this is going to end up with the Cuomo situation?” the reporter can be heard asking in the video clip.
“No,” replied Chester. “The inter-office has already outlined that Chris Cuomo is no longer allowed to interview his brother on air because they’re saying it’s a conflict of interest, which is bullshit.” The network’s technical director attributed the ban to the organization and CNN President Jeff Zucker.
“We’re not doing that anymore, which is complete bullshit,” he said. “That should have been from day one.”
“Why are they doing that?” a female voice that probably emanates from a Project Veritas reporter asked during the exchange.
“Because the scandal that’s happening with the brother, they don’t want CNN to be accused of like downplaying it or playing favorites at the scandal,” said Chester. “News, first.”
To the Project Veritas reporter’s question, if he thought CNN’s primary mission was news, Chester replied, “No, it’s not.”
Watch:
Chester credited the sudden downfall of the former New York governor to media strength. He opined Cuomo was able to get away with a lot of stuff for many years until large numbers of senior citizens died in New York nursing homes. The blame was laid at the former governor’s feet because he ordered elder care facilities in the state to accept patients even if they tested positive for COVID-19.
That order was delivered at a time when the same nursing homes were closed to families to prevent them from spreading coronavirus to residents in the facility. Once that scandal gathered steam, scandals began piling on scandals and the political rope Gov. Cuomo had effectively used as a whip for so long was eventually turned into a political noose that ended his career.
“And there is strength now because the giant goes down just a notch, people feel empowered to come forward,” Chester said. “Guarantee you, a number of women have come forward and PR firms are like, ‘Wait for our moment, wait for our moment. Down tick, strike.'”
“Only happens because of the strength of media today,” he added.
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