The former CNN host Chris Cuomo is accused of sending explicit texts to then colleague Angela Rye about a picture she posted on social media, with Rye connecting the incident to later not having her contract renewed with the TV network.
The former CNN political commentator shared her experience involving Cuomo during an episode of her new podcast Native Land Pod, describing it as “one of the most embarrassing, humiliating experiences I had”.
“My story is one that I never thought I’d tell and sits at the intersection, frankly, of power and harassment,” Rye said.
Rye alleged that Cuomo sent her an inappropriate message about a bikini photo she had posted to Instagram.
On New Year’s Day in 2021, Rye posted a picture of herself wearing a gold-sequined bikini. Cuomo later took a screenshot of the image and, she alleges, privately sent it to Rye with the comment: “Happy New Year, tinsel crotch.”
She said on the podcast episode that aired 11 January that she had been “stunned. I read and reread the message dozens of times, trying to understand if I somehow brought this on myself.
“I felt like the safest place I had on a show on CNN had been compromised,” Rye added.
Rye said she did not respond to Cuomo’s message for two days, despite texts from Cuomo asking for the two of them to call and discuss work.
Rye said she had feared she would “[risk] everything” if she called Cuomo out for his remarks at the time, and she said nothing to the company.
“I cannot begin to tell you how much I felt, like, even now feel, like a coward,” Rye said, becoming emotional as she recounted the story to her fellow podcasters Tiffany Cross, a former MSNBC host, and Andrew Gillum, a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Florida in 2018.
In May 2023, Gillum was acquitted of lying to law enforcement in connection with a corruption case concerning misuse of campaign donations. All charges against Gillum and an associate were later dropped.
On 21 January 2021, Rye, who had worked at CNN for six years, was informed by the network that it would not be renewing her contributor contract.
Rye said she believed Cuomo’s texts and her dismissal were connected.
Rye added that Cuomo texted her from a new number in 2023, asking if she was upset with him.
“Chris, you texted me from a new number last year asking if I’m mad at you. I was, but I was really mad at myself. I was mad at myself for not saying anything sooner, because I was lacking courage and preferring my financial wellbeing over my mental health,” Rye said on the podcast.
A representative for CNN declined to comment when contacted by the Guardian.
A representative for Cuomo and for NewsNation, where Cuomo now works, did not respond to a request for comment.
Cuomo was fired by CNN in December 2021 for attempting to help his brother, Andrew Cuomo, while he was still the Democratic governor of New York, fight allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying while in office. Andrew Cuomo later resigned.
After Rye shared her story on Thursday, Cross said she had faced similar lewd comments and harassment during her journalism career.
“Angela, we’ve all experienced something like that, as you know, from civil rights leaders to members of Congress to people we know,” Cross said, referring to inappropriate remarks.
“There’s a civil rights leader who used to call me and say: ‘I just want to talk to the twins,’ referring to my breasts,” Cross said.
Cross did not identify the individual.
