Newly-released texts from CNN host Chris Cuomo reveal he arranged for Alec Baldwin to post a video in support of his brother Andrew and that he used his media connections to find out about accusers.
The text exchanges - released by the New York Attorney General's office Monday - contradict Chris Cuomo's claims that he did not closely advise the disgraced former governor about a dozen sexual harassment allegations leveled against him.
In one message, Chris said 'his friend' asked actor Alec Baldwin to post commentary online, referencing Baldwin's 14-minute Instagram rant earlier this year where he hit out and defended due process amid sexual misconduct allegations leveled at Cuomo and Woody Allen.
Although he did not mention any names specifically, Baldwin appeared to be referring to both Cuomo and Allen.
'My friend asked him to do it,' Chris said in a message to Andrew Cuomo's former top aide Melissa DeRosa. 'Very close to him.'
Pages of texts show Chris strategizing the former governor's response to the allegations with DeRosa.
Newly-released texts from CNN host Chris Cuomo (right) reveal he helped strategize brother Andrew Cuomo's (left) response to the sexual harassment scandal earlier this year
The pair in February discussed crafting Andrew's statement and on March 3, Chris texted DeRosa to say: 'Please let me help with the prep.'
The following day, Chris told DeRosa he had a 'lead on the wedding girl,' presumably a reference to Anne Ruch, who told The New York Times the governor became 'aggressive toward her during a September 2019 wedding.
She said he cupped her face in his hands and asked: 'Can I kiss you?'
Anna Ruch, now 33, met Andrew Cuomo at her friends' wedding in September 2019. He was photographed cupping her face
The texts also revealed that Chris used his 'sources' to investigate other accusers as they prepared to come forward in March.
Last week, Andrew Cuomo was condemned as a sex pest who committed multiple impeachable offenses in a new official report.
The investigation, by New York's state assembly's judiciary committee, was released November 22 and found 'overwhelming evidence' that Cuomo sexually
