Poynter Institute blasts CNN's Chris Cuomo for 'crossing a journalistic line' with advice to embattled brother

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CNN admits Chris Cuomo inappropriately gave brother Andrew advice on sexual harassment scandal

CNN won't discipline the anchor, who participated in strategy sessions advising the New York governor not to resign over harassment charges.

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies excoriated CNN anchor Chris Cuomo Thursday for "crossing a journalistic line" by giving advice to his brother, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, concerning the allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Poyter's Tom Jones argued that Cuomo was "deservedly under scrutiny" following the revelations that he participated in strategy sessions with the older Cuomo and his top aides.

"Stop and think about what happened here," Jones wrote. "The host of a primetime show on one of the country’s biggest and most influential cable news networks is advising one of the most powerful and influential politicians in this country on how to handle serious sexual misconduct allegations."

CNN ADMITS CHRIS CUOMO INAPPROPRIATELY GAVE BROTHER ANDREW ADVICE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDAL

"This is highly inappropriate for a journalist," he added. 

Jones went on to criticize CNN's decision not to discipline Cuomo by pondering how the network's staff, "especially women," must feel about a powerful co-worker trying to help someone overcome allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. He also wondered how Cuomo's accusers felt: "How do the women who made these allegations feel about a high-profile cable news network personality trying to help the man accused of such awful things?"

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Jones went after Cuomo from a journalistic point of view, stating it's one thing to recuse oneself from covering a topic, which Cuomo did in March when he said he would not be covering the allegations against his brother, and another to go behind the scenes to "help shape what happens." 

CNN'S CHRIS CUOMO ADMITS ‘MISTAKE’ TO ADVISE BROTHER AMID SCANDAL, DENIES INFLUENCING NETWORK'S COVERAGE

Cuomo apologized on-air during the opening segment of his Thursday night show, explaining he's "fiercely loyal" to his family, and that it's a unique challenge to be a journalist and have a brother as a politician. He then apologized to his colleagues at CNN for putting them in "a bad spot." 

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Jones argued Cuomo shouldn't be fired for his actions, but that the failure of CNN to see this coming suggests a major personality on their network may no longer be trusted by its viewers.

Four women who have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct, Charlotte Bennett, Lindsey Boylan, Ana Liss and one publicly unidentified woman, have been formally asked to testify under oath in the New York state attorney general’s investigation.