CNN’s Brian Stelter admits some people at the network are mad at Chris Cuomo

Just hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation amid a sexual harassment scandal, Brian Stelter joined The Late Show With Stephen Colbert where he addressed the issues surrounding his CNN colleague, the governor’s younger brother, Chris Cuomo. In May, Cuomo admitted to advising his brother in the early days of the scandal, but a recent report in the New York Times detailed the extent to which Cuomo went in helping his brother.

“Has that created any conflict over at CNN?” Colbert asked. “Behind closed doors, are people mad at him, or is he in trouble?” “Some people are mad at him,” Stelter answered. “By the way, I can confirm the New York Times report. I’ll confirm it for your viewers.”

Stelter later added, “This was definitely awkward for CNN though. I tried to go into this thinking, if I was going to cover this at CBS, how would I cover it, and try to cover it the same way. And I talked to a lot of sources at CNN. Some said, ‘Yeah, this is really weird. I’m ticked off at Chris.’ Others said, ‘You know, I understand. You can't pick who your family members are.’ So there was a wide range of opinions.”

Video Transcript

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STEPHEN COLBERT: New York Times is reporting that that's true. Chris was helping his brother. What's-- how-- does that create any conflict over at CNN behind closed doors? Are people mad at him? Or is he-- is he in trouble?

BRIAN STELTER: Some people are mad at him.

KYLIE MAR: CNN anchor Brian Stelter joins the "Late Show" with Stephen Colbert Tuesday just hours after New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal.

Stelter spoke about his CNN colleague, Chris Cuomo, who had allegedly been advising his brother throughout the scandal, including this week, in which he reportedly urged the governor to resign. Stelter says both are true.

BRIAN STELTER: I'll confirm it for your viewers. I also have a source that says, Chris was on the phone with his brother this week.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Is your source Chris Cuomo?

BRIAN STELTER: He is not. He is not. You got to have boundaries. You got to draw a line.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Why? He doesn't.

BRIAN STELTER: I think he does actually.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Really?

BRIAN STELTER: I think Chris does. I don't know about the Governor.

KYLIE MAR: In May, Cuomo came clean about advising his brother early on, admitted it was a mistake, and said it would not happen again. At the time, CNN called his actions inappropriate but understood the unique situation in which Cuomo found himself. While Stelter believes the situation was handled correctly, Colbert-- not so much.

BRIAN STELTER: They admitted he screwed up. They said, you know, what you did was inappropriate. You were on the phone with your brothers aides, advising them on what to do. And that was inappropriate. But they said, of course, they're going to talk to your brother. You know, there's nothing more important--

STEPHEN COLBERT: But he didn't talk about his brother once the trouble started. He said, I'm not going to talk about my brother.

BRIAN STELTER: And that was also a management ruling.

KYLIE MAR: While some at CNN have publicly addressed Cuomo situation, others have not. And Stelter claims there are varying opinions on the matter.

BRIAN STELTER: This was definitely awkward for CNN, though.

STEPHEN COLBERT: True.

BRIAN STELTER: I try to go into this thinking, OK, if I was going to cover this at CBS, how would I cover it, and try to cover it the same way. And I talked to a lot of sources at CNN. Some said, yeah, this is really weird. I'm ticked off at Chris. Others said, you know, I understand. You can't pick your family members are. So there was a wide range of opinions.

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