Chris Cuomo has broken cover for the first time since he was axed from CNN.
DailyMail.com spotted the former host Saturday in the Hamptons keeping it casual in a beanie, sunglasses, hoodie, Army fatigue shorts and sneakers as he stepped out with an Amazon package in hand.
Until now, Chris hasn’t been seen since November 30 when he was suspended from the network after it was revealed that he had helped his brother Andrew Cuomo battle sexual harassment allegations to a greater extent than he admitted.
And on December 5, Chris was fired from his $6million-a-year position after an unnamed former co-worker at ABC claimed that he sexually harassed her.
Now the 51-year-old has been keeping a low profile, leaving Manhattan for the Hamptons where he’s been holed up with wife Cristina.
DailyMail.com spotted axed CNN host Chris Cuomo in the Hamptons on Saturday in his first sighting since being fired from CNN earlier this month
Chris was seen with an Amazon package in hand as he kept it casual in a beanie, sunglasses, hoodie, Army fatigue shorts and sneakers
This is the first time he’s been seen in public since November 30 when he was suspended from the network for helping his brother Andrew battle sexual harassment allegations
On December 5, Chris was fired from his $6million-a-year position after an unnamed former co-worker at ABC claimed that he sexually harassed her
Chris has been keeping a low profile since he was suspended and then fired. He’s even stepped down from his SiriusXM raido show during the controversy
DailyMail.com also spotted Chris’ wife Cristina on Sunday with an unnamed female friend. She was seen driving a Tesla as she left their Hamptons home.
Cristina, founder of health and wellness platform Purist, and Chris have been married since 2001.
Newly-released texts from CNN host Chris Cuomo reveal he helped strategize brother Andrew Cuomo’s response to the sexual harassment scandal earlier this year
The couple share three children, Bella, Carolina and Mario – named after Chris’ governor father.
Chris’ professional life has been plagued with controversy since a report by the New York Attorney General revealed the depths of his involvement with his governor brother.
Chris was fired four days after CNN’s president, Jeff Zucker took him off the air and announced his ‘indefinite suspension.’
CNN said in a statement that Chris had mislead them about his efforts this spring to help his brother, Governor Andrew Cuomo, in countering allegations of sexual harassment.
Chris has claimed Zucker knew all about what was going on, with the network vehemently denying that.
The combative statements raise the specter of a public clash between Chris and CNN’s president, with whom he used to enjoy mingling on the Hamptons cocktail circuit – where both men have homes.
A spokesman for Chris told the Wall Street Journal Sunday: ‘Mr. Cuomo has the highest level of admiration and respect for Mr. Zucker,’ the spokesman told The Wall Street Journal.
‘They were widely known to be extremely close and in regular contact, including about the details of Mr. Cuomo’s support for his brother. There were no secrets about this, as other individuals besides Mr. Cuomo can attest.’
It appears likely that accusations that he sexually harassed a former co-worker at ABC was the final straw that led to his firing – a move which would appear to slightly ease the pressure on Zucker.
The host was fired when the unnamed woman’s lawyer, Debra Katz, told CNN executives about the allegations. Katz also represents one of Andrew Cuomo’s accusers, Charlotte Bennett.
A source told the New York Post: ‘From a legal standpoint, CNN had cause to fire Chris on Friday based on the Letitia James information. From a practical standpoint, when the sexual-misconduct claim came in, CNN decided, ‘Enough is enough.”
In responding to Cuomo’s claims that Zucker knew about his support for his brother, CNN said in a written statement it disagreed their former star’s characterization of events.
‘He has made a number of accusations that are patently false,’ the network said.
‘This reinforces why he was terminated for violating our standards and practices, as well as his lack of candor.’
Chris Cuomo is seen on Monday November 29 – the last night he hosted his CNN show before his suspension and ultimate firing
DailyMail.com also spotted Chris’ wife Cristina on Sunday with an unnamed female friend. Cristina, founder of health and wellness platform Purist, and Chris have been married since 2001
Cristina was seen driving a Tesla as she left their Hamptons home with a female friend in the passenger seat
Cristina and Chris couple share three children, Bella, Carolina and Mario – named after Chris’ governor father.
In another blow to his career, Chris announced last Monday he would no longer host his SiriusXM radio show.
‘While I have a thick skin, I also have a family for whom the past week has been extraordinarily difficult,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Earlier this year, Chris told CNN viewers and executives that he had indeed assisted his brother’s team, but that his involvement had been minimal.
Then when Andrew Cuomo, 63, resigned in August, Zucker likely hoped the thorny issue would go away.
Zucker, seen in June 2019, was close to Cuomo, with both men keeping summer homes in the Hamptons
But it was Attorney General Letitia James report that revealed text messages between Chris and his brother’s staff, showing that he was deeply involved in combatting the allegations and provided help in strategy and communications.
CNN said in a statement that Cuomo had been suspended, noting: ‘The New York attorney general’s office released transcripts and exhibits Monday that shed new light on Chris Cuomo’s involvement in his brother’s defense.
‘The documents, which we were not privy to before their release, raise serious questions.
‘When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly.
‘But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first, and job second.
‘However these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother’s efforts than we previously knew.
‘As a result we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation.’
Zucker, 56, hired Cuomo from ABC News in 2013 in one of his first moves when he took over CNN, and demonstrated considerable compassion for Cuomo during the summer, when the saga unfolded
Pages of text exchanges between Chris Cuomo and Andrew Cuomo’s top aid Melissa DeRosa were released by the New York Attorney General’s office on Monday
Zucker, 56, hired Cuomo from ABC News in 2013 in one of his first moves when he took over CNN, and demonstrated considerable compassion for Chris during the summer when the saga unfolded.
Zucker had promoted Cuomo to prime time in 2018, letting him have the prized 9pm hour, and setting him against the influential Rachel Maddow at MSNBC and Sean Hannity at Fox News.
A year later, Zucker was full of praise for his star, telling The Hollywood Reporter that Cuomo was ‘the perfect cable news anchor.’
When The Washington Post reported in May that the news anchor had been advising his brother on strategy, in a breach of journalistic protocol, Zucker defended him and said that he was in a unique and very difficult position.
‘Chris has not been involved in CNN’s extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomo — on air or behind the scenes,’ the network said in a statement. ‘In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother.
‘However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the Governor’s staff, which Chris acknowledges.
‘He will not participate in such conversations going forward.’
The network said Cuomo would not be disciplined.