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Another One Gone At CNN: Gollust Announces Her Resignation
From Network
Carmine Sabia
February 16, 2022
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Not to mention commentary which reflects this blog editor's opinion.
It has been around two weeks since former CNN head Jeff Zucker resigned from his position at the network, citing an inappropriate relationship with a co-worker, and now that co-worker has resigned.
Allison Gollust, the former lieutenant to Zucker, resigned after an investigation “into issues associated with” Chris Cuomo, a former CNN anchor, and his brother Andrew, the former governor of New York, a memo sent to staffers by WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar said, CNN reported.
“Based on interviews of more than 40 individuals and a review of over 100,000 texts and emails, the investigation found violations of Company policies, including CNN’s News Standards and Practices, by Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust, and Chris Cuomo,” he said to staffers.
“We have the highest standards of journalistic integrity at CNN, and those rules must apply to everyone equally,” he said. “Given the information provided to me in the investigation, I strongly believe we have taken the right actions and the right decisions have been made.”
So, is this an admission that with Cuomo, Zucker and Gollust the highest standards of journalistic integrity were not met?
Gollust issued a statement announcing her departure from the company on Tuesday.
“WarnerMedia’s statement tonight is an attempt to retaliate against me and change the media narrative in the wake of their disastrous handling of the last two weeks,” she said. “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 that I gave my heart and soul to working with the finest journalists in the world.”
There's that phrase again. Apparently, Gollust has over-estimated her standards.
Reports have indicated that Chris Cuomo is getting set for a major lawsuit against the network.
After his former boss Jeff Zucker exited the network, sources say that Cuomo wants a settlement of around $60 million, The New York Post reported.
Multiple sources tell Page Six that Cuomo — who was fired in December for helping his brother, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, fend off sexual harassment allegations — is ready to dig his heels in by claiming that Zucker not only knew about his dealings with the governor but that the network boss had his own inappropriate dealings with Andrew.
And he is prepared to demand not the $18 million left on his contract, but as much as $60 million.
“He wants Megyn Kelly money,” sources said to The Post.
“Chris insists he never did anything for his brother Andrew that Zucker didn’t know about,” a source said.
“His camp believes Zucker wasn’t fired for an inappropriate relationship with Allison Gollust. Everybody knew about that and nobody cared.
“What he believes happened is WarnerMedia found something in their investigation into Chris, perhaps internal memos or documents which revealed more about Zucker’s involvement with Andrew Cuomo. Gollust was just a convenient excuse,” they said.
That's been my theory ever since Zucker stepped down.
“Chris intends to fight for every dollar on his contract, and loss of income from the 15 to 20 years left in his career, had Zucker not orchestrated a ‘f–k-job’ on him. He could ask for as much as $80 million but CNN isn’t going to pay that. But there’s an argument he could ask for as much as $60 million,” the source said.
Another source said that “Chris is telling people in the Hamptons he was wrongly fired, humiliated, his career has been ruined, and he wants Megyn Kelly money.”
For reference, Kelly got $69 million from NBC after she was fired in 2019 when she defended blackface on her show.
Sources have said that Zucker “coached Andrew Cuomo [on] what to say in his press conferences, particularly how to hit back at President Donald Trump. He advised him when, and where, and what to say. He chastised Andrew if he appeared on other networks.
“When this all finally comes out, it will put an end to the big cry fest going on at CNN over Zucker’s ousting,” they said.
WarnerMedia chief executive Jason Kilar met with CNN staff in DC on Monday the idea of a severance package for Cuomo was talked about and staff did not appear to be on board.
Jake Tapper, the host of the CNN show “The Lead” referred to Cuomo as a “terrorist” who wants to attack the network.
“How do we get past this perception that this is the bad guy winning?” New York Times reporter Michael M. Grynbaum reported.
You can't! They're all bad guys.
“Did you think about what message it sends to the journalists in the company and also to the larger public that someone can be found to break with those journalistic standards and then get paid handsomely for it?” CNN host Don Lemon said, the Wall Street Journal reported.
It's a sad commentary considering how journalistic standards have fallen so far in recent decades.
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Dallas Cowboys paid $2.4MN to settle cheerleader allegations – report
An NFL team paid off cheerleaders who accused a team executive of voyeurism,
according to a new report
NFL team the Dallas Cowboys reached a confidential $2.4 million settlement with four cheerleaders who accused a senior team executive of voyeurism including recording them while in their dressing rooms, according to a report.
The four members of the cheerleading squad were each paid $399,523.27, according to ESPN, which says that the rest of the money was used to pay associated legal costs after they made allegations that former senior vice president for public relations and communications Richard Dalrymple recorded them with his cell phone while they were in a state of undress.
Dalrymple retired from the Cowboys after 32 years of service earlier this month.
The 2015 complaint alleged that Dalrymple gained entry to their locker room using a security key card and was subsequently discovered by the women attempting to record them with his iPhone.
An internal investigation conducted by the team found no firm evidence of any impropriety on Dalrymple's behalf, according to the outlet – but the team hierarchy allegedly saw fit to issue him with a written warning.
Dalrymple vigorously denied the allegations against him in a statement. "People who know me – co-workers, the media and colleagues – know who I am and what I'm about," Dalrymple said.
"I understand the very serious nature of these claims and do not take them lightly. The accusations are, however, false. One was accidental and the other simply did not happen. Everything that was alleged was thoroughly investigated years ago, and I co-operated fully."
Figures within the Cowboys also indicated to the report that no wrongdoing was found in their investigation.
"If any wrongdoing had been found, Rich would have been terminated immediately," said Jim Wilkinson, a communications expert employed by the team.
"Everyone involved felt just terrible about this unfortunate incident."
Even though no wrongdoing had been found!? Weird! $2.4m is a lot of money to pay for 'no wrongdoing'!
The report also suggested that Dalrymple's retirement came around the same time as he became aware of various reporters' interest in the matter – although Dalrymple said that this timing was merely coincidental.
The account also quotes a former Cowboys cheerleader who was not involved in the incident as saying that the alleged voyeurism was common knowledge amongst the cheerleading squad.
It also details how the team allegedly conducted a forensic analysis of Dalrymple's work phone but found no evidence of photographs being taken.
Dalrymple is said to have denied owning a personal cell phone and told investigators that he did enter the locker room, mistakenly thinking it was empty while wanting to use the bathroom.
"It was a 'he said, she said' – and the team chose to believe Dalrymple's side of things," ESPN quoted an unnamed source as saying. "But four women swore this happened."
None of the four women who made the reported complaint are currently employed by the team.
I'll bet! But they have $400,000 dollars.
Prince Andrew settles sex abuse lawsuit
The financial terms of the settlement between the British royal and his accuser
Virginia Giuffre have not been revealed
Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, has reached a settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who had accused the senior British royal of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager, according to a court filing in New York on Tuesday.
The 61-year-old Duke of York agreed to pay a confidential financial sum to Giuffre, both parties announced in a joint statement attached to the court document. Andrew will also make a "substantial donation" to a charity that supports "victims' rights."
The settlement comes weeks before Prince Andrew was set to be required to participate in a deposition under oath, during which he would have been questioned by Giuffre's lawyers about her accusations. The joint statement from Prince Andrew and Giuffre reportedly says that the British royal does not admit to any of the accusations against him.
The court documents also show the prince claiming that he "regrets his association" with convicted billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks," the linked statement said, adding that the Briton "regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others."
“He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims,” the filing adds.
Andrew’s legal team had tried to get the lawsuit thrown out on a technicality by claiming a previous deal between Giuffre and Epstein meant that she was barred from pursuing a case against the royal. However, US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rejected this, allowing the case to proceed to trial. Following the court's refusal to dismiss the suit, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Andrew had returned his "military affiliations and royal patronages" to Queen Elizabeth and would "continue not to undertake any public duties."
It's rumoured that the Queen, herself, will pay Andrew's settlement. I wonder if that's how he got to be the way he is?
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