The former disgraced CNN anchor Chris Cuomo reportedly sought to become a firefighter. He was fired from the left-wing network last year in part for his role in the effort to help his brother, then-New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, accused of s-xual misconduct.
Chris Cuomo had originally applied to be a volunteer firefighter with the East Hampton Fire Department. However, he was forced to withdraw his application because he found out after meeting with fire officials that he was not able to commit the time required for the position. Sources told The Daily Beast that Chris Cuomo “backed out” when the commitment was part of the job.
“It’s a very time-consuming thing. There are monthly meetings and drills and you have to meet a percentage of your calls,” EHFD Chief Duane Forrester said. “That’s why we don’t have many celebrities.”
Chris Cuomo has filed a $125 million lawsuit against CNN, seeking $15 million in lost wages and an additional $110 million in damages, after the network fired him following an investigation.
Debra S. Katz, a left-leaning attorney, said in a statement in December that she represented a client who claimed that Chris Cuomo committed “serious s-xual misconduct” against her on another network.
Katz said she informed CNN of the allegations and that the allegations were ultimately responsible for Chris Cuomo’s firing from CNN. Katz said in a statement that Cuomo was hypocritical when he said he cared “very deeply” about the issue of s-xual harassment, which was only revealed in an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James for helping his brother smear his accusers.
“Hearing the hypocrisy of Chris Cuomo’s on-air words and disgusted by his efforts to try to discredit these women, my client retained counsel to report his serious s-xual misconduct against her to CNN,” Katz said.
Katz claimed that CNN fired Chris Cuomo a few days after she brought her client’s allegations.
”My client came forward at this time because she felt in sharing her story and related documentation, she could help protect other women. She will continue to cooperate with CNN’s investigation into her allegations,” Katz stated. “Given the nature of her allegations, she wishes to remain anonymous, and we ask that you respect this decision.
While announcing the firing, CNN said that during its investigation, “additional information” had come to light and that the network would keep investigating the allegations despite the fact that Chris Cuomo was no longer with the network.
“This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother,” Chris Cuomo said in a statement. “So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN’s #1 show in the most competitive time slot. I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important work.”