CNN’s Allison Gollust Resigns Over Zucker Affair, Chris Cuomo Reportedly Fired Over Assault Allegations
Allison Gollust, the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for CNN who was involved in an affair with former network President Jeff Zucker, resigned on Tuesday.
Parent company WarnerMedia conducted an internal investigation and found she violated company policy by failing to disclose her relationship with Zucker.
Jason Kilar, CEO of WarnerMedia, issued a statement announcing her resignation, revealing “the investigation found violations of company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo.”
Zucker resigned earlier this month following an admission that he failed to disclose his relationship with Gollust, a subordinate of his at the network.
Former CNN staffers have insisted that Zucker and Gollust’s relationship was essentially an “open secret” for years.
Brand new memo from Jason Kilar: “The investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo.” pic.twitter.com/Xu1HQJw9cT
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 16, 2022
Allison Gollust Hammers CNN
In an email sent to CNN staff, Gollust accused WarnerMedia of trying to “change the media narrative” over her resignation regarding the relationship with Zucker.
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“WarnerMedia’s statement tonight is an attempt to retaliate against me and change the media narrative in the wake of their disastrous handling of the last two weeks,” she said in the email.
“It is deeply disappointing that after spending the past nine years defending and upholding CNN’s highest standards of journalistic integrity, I would be treated this way as I leave.”
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) February 16, 2022
Gollust said she is leaving “with my head held high” despite her resignation and an internal investigation alleging she violated CNN’s News Standards and Practices.
How she could violate something that nobody else knew existed is anybody’s guess.
BREAKING: Allison Gollust Out At CNN After Investigation Reveals ‘Violations’ By Top Execs, Chris Cuomo https://t.co/VjRaFMQhrC pic.twitter.com/RhOTQfo9Mr
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) February 16, 2022
Chris Cuomo Accused of Sexual Assault
The third entity mentioned as being involved in violations of company policy at CNN was former anchor Chris Cuomo.
Cuomo was fired in December following a New York Attorney General report regarding multiple sexual harassment claims against his brother, the disgraced former governor, in which he was alleged to have used media sources to track down information on sexual harassment accusers.
But a New York Times report indicates the true reason for his firing was a secret “assault” allegation made against him by a woman he used to work with at ABC News in 2011.
Following a suspension, a letter from the woman’s lawyer arrived at CNN headquarters claiming Cuomo “had sexually assaulted her” and “tried to keep her quiet by arranging a flattering CNN segment about her employer at the time.”
NEW: How a secret two-part allegation against Chris Cuomo helped upend CNN. (Thread.) https://t.co/rqgg1poPrH
— Jodi Kantor (@jodikantor) February 16, 2022
The letter from the woman, according to the New York Times, describes the scene that led to the alleged assault.
Cuomo had offered her career advice and invited her to lunch in his office one day.
“When she arrived, there was no food. Instead, Mr. Cuomo badgered her for sex, and after she declined, he assaulted her, she said. She ran out of the room,” the Times indicates.
JUST IN: Chris Cuomo faced assault allegation before CNN departure: report https://t.co/JTOzrPfloV pic.twitter.com/TA7L4XAzkB
— The Hill (@thehill) February 16, 2022
Zucker would announce Cuomo’s firing due to the multiple scandals becoming “too much for us.”
Just two months later, Zucker would be forced to resign while Gollust would follow.
Gollust had once worked as disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s communications director. He is Chris Cuomo’s brother.
Cuomo has denied the allegations.
