СNN Exec Who Was in Relationship With Former Network President Zucker Resigns

The US broadcaster's President Jeff Zucker abruptly resigned in early February, when he admitted to failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a person he described as his "closest colleague".

СNN Executive Vice President and CMO Allison Gollust has resigned in the wake of a probe into "issues associated" with ousted anchor Chris Cuomo and his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, according to a WarnerMedia memo obtained by US media.

The memo comes about two weeks after CNN President Jeff Zucker resigned over an undisclosed "consensual relationship" with a colleague, who was later reported to be Gollust.

WarnerMedia chief Jason Kilar insisted in the memo that a third-party investigation, which wrapped up last week, found that Gollust, along with Zucker and Chris Cuomo, violated CNN policies, including the company's "News Standards and Practices".

"I realise this news is troubling, disappointing, and, frankly, difficult to read. We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN, and those rules must apply to everyone equally", Kilar stated.

He added that the inquiry relied on interviews and a review of more than 100,000 texts and emails. According to the WarnerMedia chief, the probe was performed by a third-party law firm and led by a former federal judge.

Gollust, for her part, fired back, issuing an email to her staff, in which she described WarnerMedia's statement as "an attempt to retaliate against" her "and change the media narrative in the wake of their disastrous handling of the last two weeks".

"It is deeply disappointing that after spending the past nine years defending and upholding CNN's highest standards of journalistic integrity, I would be treated this way as I leave. But I do so with my head held high, knowing I gave my heart and soul to working with the finest journalists in the world. With much love and gratitude", she wrote.

Shortly before the Kilar memo revealed that Gollust planned to resign, it was reported that Chris Cuomo was facing an allegation of sexual assault made against him by an unnamed woman he purportedly "badgered for sex" during his time at ABC News, in 2011.

Chris Cuomo's team released a statement in response to Gollust's resignation with no mention of this sex abuse allegation. He was fired from CNN in December 2021 for his role in helping his brother Andrew Cuomo formulate his defence during a sexual harassment scandal. Before Gollust came to CNN, the news network said that she briefly worked as communications director for Andrew Cuomo.

On 2 February, 56-year-old Zucker, who had worked at CNN since 2013, announced that he was stepping down as CNN president for violating corporate policy by not disclosing the nature of his consensual relationship with a female colleague.

"I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years. I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn't. I was wrong”, Zucker admitted in a memo.

Although he didn't reveal the name of the colleague, CNN Business reported that it was Gollust, saying at the time that she would remain at the network.