A CNN spokesperson said it makes sense anchor Chris Cuomo sought “advice and assistance” on COVID-19 from his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), according to The Washington Post.
“We generally do not get involved in the medical decisions of our employees,” CNN spokesman Matt Dornic told the Post Wednesday after news broke that Chris Cuomo and other members of the governor’s family received priority COVID-19 testing last year.
“However, it is not surprising that in the earliest days of a once-in-a-century global pandemic, when Chris was showing symptoms and was concerned about possible spread, he turned to anyone he could for advice and assistance, as any human being would,” Dornic added.
CNN and Chris Cuomo did not immediately respond to questions from The Hill about the special treatment, if the anchor revealed it to CNN viewers or if he discussed it with CNN’s management while under quarantine and reporting for the network.
Chris Cuomo told CNN viewers that he tested positive for COVID-19 on March 31 of last year.
Chris Cuomo opens his show tonight by talking about his coronavirus diagnosis: “You do not want this.” pic.twitter.com/pqyxgRZrBa
The governor’s regular press conferences during the height of the pandemic raised his national profile, and he was often a guest on his brother’s CNN show, where they joked with each other on-air.
Chris Cuomo announced on the March 1 episode of his show that he would not be reporting on the sexual harassment allegations against his brother, which are threatening Andrew Cuomo’s political life.
The decision raised cries of hypocrisy from critics who argued it was improper for Chris Cuomo to have had the governor on his show regularly during the COVID-19 crisis when Andrew Cuomo was riding high in the polls.