Brian Stelter predicts a 'legal mess for CNN'

 Brian Stelter, host of CNN's "Reliable Sources," said Sunday that the recent resignations of CNN president Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust — the former marketing chief for CNN — was a "legal mess for CNN," Fox News reported.

Stelter said, "I was told by a source that Zucker can't comment further on the substance of why he left why he did and what happened."

He added, "Everybody is lawyer-ed up, Chris Cuomo might sue, Cuomo's lawyer apparently wants tens of millions of dollars out of this network, so this is now a legal mess for CNN."

In early February, Jeff Zucker stunned his colleagues at CNN by announcing he would resign as the news network's president and chairman of WarnerMedia's news and sports division.

In a memo, Zucker announced that he was leaving the company and that he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with his fellow CNN executive Allison Gollust.

During the investigation into the former-CNN anchor, Chris Cuomo's journalistic misconduct and allegations of the former anchor's sexually harassing coworkers, Zucker and Gollust's relationship came to light.

Zucker's memo said, "As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo's tenure at CNN, 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."

"As a result, I am resigning today," Zucker wrote.

In response, Gollust said, "Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years. Recently, our relationship changed during Covid. I regret that we didn't disclose it at the right time. I'm incredibly proud of my time at CNN and look forward to continuing the great work we do every day."

Gollust resigned from CNN shortly after Zucker as reports surfaced that the two's relationship began earlier than initially stated.

In response to the resignations of Zucker and Gollust, CNN's parent company, WarnerMedia, released a statement that said, "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."

Chris Cuomo's employment with CNN came to a dramatic end as it was revealed that he used resources at his disposal to conduct research into his brother Andrew's accusers and that he acted inappropriately with various coworkers.

It is now known that Gollust was also assisting Andrew Cuomo.

This series of high-profile resignations and terminations, along with the various ethical dilemmas attached to them, form the basis for what Stelter referred to as "a legal mess for CNN."