Stelter admits scandal has been a 'CNN conundrum,' but defends Chris Cuomo for 'tuning out the family drama'

CNN's Brian Stelter addressed the awkward position he and his colleagues find themselves in as "Cuomo Prime Time" host Chris Cuomo remains silent about his brother New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's sexual harassment scandal, admitting it has been a "conundrum" for the network. 

In New York Attorney General Letitia James' bombshell report that concluded Gov. Cuomo had sexually harassed multiple women was also the revelation that Chris had helped draft his brother's public response to the allegations. Despite that ethically questionable news peg, CNN allowed Cuomo on air the evening of the bombshell press conference. Cuomo was mum on the scandal, telling viewers that his show would instead be focused on COVID-19.

That's because CNN management, Stelter explained, has barred Cuomo from speaking about his brother's situation on air. They have also told the host that he cannot participate in any more strategy sessions with his brother's aides.

"This has been a conundrum for CNN that has no perfect answer, no perfect solution," Stelter said on Sunday's "Reliable Sources."

Stelter noted that some of Cuomo's colleagues are "ticked off at him" and that it is an "optics problem" for the network. 

CHRIS CUOMO AND HIS PROBLEMATIC YEAR AT CNN

However, in his monologue, Stelter also defended both Cuomo and CNN on more than one account. The network was blasted for not punishing Cuomo after it was revealed he had participated in strategy sessions with the governor's aides and for allowing him to conduct jokey interviews with the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Stelter suggested those interviews can be excused because it was an "unprecedented time period."

Stelter went on to praise Cuomo for "tuning out the family drama" and conducting "compelling interviews" during last week's "Cuomo Prime Time," managing to rake in the network's highest ratings for a few consecutive nights. The "Reliable Sources" host also noted that Cuomo works "several floors away" from the newsroom where reporters are publishing coverage of the governor's damaged reputation.

"I personally believe he should speak out when the time is right," Stelter said, considering he's "part of the story."

CNN'S CHRIS CUOMO AMONG ANDREW CUOMO ADVISERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO TOXIC HARASSMENT CULTURE: AG REPORT

CNN, Stelter continued, "is so much bigger than any one anchor." He went on to defend CNN's coverage of the governor as having been "scathing and appropriately in depth."

Viewers ripped Stelter for the segment as "shameless," some accusing him of engaging in "blame shifting." Others renewed their demands for CNN to keep Cuomo off the air to avoid a conflict of interest.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP