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☆ US Supreme Court backs three men in Cuomo-era New York corruption cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Joseph Percoco (L), former aid to New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, walks out of the Manhattan Federal Courthouse in New York, September 22, 2016. The court has limited prosecutors in a series of political corruption cases in recent years. In overturning Ciminelli's guilty verdict, the justices said that theory of fraud, known as "right to control," is "inconsistent with the structure and history of the federal fraud statutes." The Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority, increasingly has limited prosecutors in political corruption cases. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

New York CNN —CNN’s Kaitlan Collins will anchor a new show at 9 pm starting in June, CNN CEO Chris Licht announced Wednesday. Since then, the 9 pm slot was hosted by a cast of CNN anchors, special interviews and town halls. Licht said Collins will leave the CNN This Morning show, which will be led by Poppy Harlow “alongside a rotation of CNN guest anchors.” Collins’ departure from the morning show is the second in a month after Don Lemon parted ways with CNN in April. CNN's Kaitlan Collins Jeremy Freeman/CNNCollins last week interviewed former President Donald Trump during CNN’s contentious and controversial town hall event. “I’m so thankful for my friend and co-anchor Poppy and will be cheering on the CNN This Morning team every day.”Collins, 31, joined CNN in 2017 as White House reporter.

☆ Clarence Thomas, who accepted lavish gifts from a billionaire, argued that a law prohibiting taking bribes is too vague to be fairly enforced
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — who accepted lavish gifts and luxury vacations from a billionaire for years — signed off on a Supreme Court opinion Thursday arguing that a law prohibiting taking bribes is too vague to be fairly enforced. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a concurring opinion — on which Thomas signed off — that a federal anti-bribery law wasn't clear enough. "To this day, no one knows what 'honest-services fraud' encompasses," Gorsuch wrote. Crow described Thomas as a friend and insisted he never sought to influence the conservative Supreme Court justice. Additionally, the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Crow for a list of any gifts he's given to a Supreme Court justice or their family.

☆ Opinion | The Fury of #MeToo Finally Comes for the Man Who Inspired It
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

With the $5 million verdict against Donald Trump for sexual abuse and defamation in the E. Jean Carroll trial, the #MeToo movement comes full circle. Trump’s election in 2016, after he’d been heard boasting of sexual assault on the “Access Hollywood” tape and accused of sexual assault by more than a dozen women, set off a tsunami of female fury. The #MeToo movement is why E. Jean Carroll wrote the memoir in which she revealed that Trump violated her in a Bergdorf Goodman changing room in the mid-1990s. And because of her perseverance, Trump will, for the first time, face legal accountability for his treatment of women. Because of the #MeToo movement, the man who started it all gets some measure of comeuppance.

☆ Andrew Cuomo Seeks Records, Depositions From Women Who Accused Him of Sexual Harassment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in 2021 as state lawmakers moved forward with impeachment proceedings. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesFormer New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has subpoenaed several of the women who said he sexually harassed them, the latest step in his legal campaign to clear his name. They are five of the 11 women who were sexually harassed by the 65-year-old Democratic scion during his three terms as governor, according to a report by Attorney General Letitia James.

☆ Hochul Acknowledges She Didn’t Vet Adviser Accused of Sexual Harassment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Nicholas Fandos | Jeffery C. Mays | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul acknowledged on Thursday that she had not scrutinized the background of a longtime political adviser when she hired him to run her 2018 re-election campaign for lieutenant governor of New York, just months after he was fired for sexually harassing colleagues at a nonprofit in Washington, D.C.Ms. Hochul said that she had seen no reason to vet the adviser, Adam C. Sullivan, because he had already managed her 2011 congressional race. In the absence of a thorough background check, the governor said she had no knowledge of the accusations against him until The New York Times reported them this week, long after Mr. Sullivan had risen to become one of her most trusted counselors. “To ask for a résumé and go through a whole new process later for campaigns, that wasn’t what I was doing,” Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, told reporters of her 2018 hiring decision. “Had I known what I knew now, there would be a very different circumstance.”The remarks were part of Ms. Hochul’s first extended account of her dealings with Mr. Sullivan, 43, whose close ties with the governor threaten to cast a cloud over her promises to clean up Albany after her predecessor, Andrew M. Cuomo, resigned amid his own sexual harassment scandal.

☆ CNN CEO Chris Licht marks one year on the job with a network rebrand, upcoming ad campaign, and a Trump town hall
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The network is hoping its May 10 Trump town hall, to be anchored by Kaitlan Collins, delivers ratings. One year into his new role, CNN CEO Chris Licht is quietly working on a major brand refresh of the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned global news network. CNN is planning a new ad campaign, according to this person and a separate person familiar with conversations, once the changes are finalized and approved by Warners CEO David Zaslav. The town hall will mark the first time Trump has appeared on CNN in years. At least on the business side," they added, referencing the audiences and ad dollars a Trump campaign would bring.

☆ John King passes ‘Inside Politics’ torch to Dana Bash as he takes on a new assignment at CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —John King will take on a new role at CNN and step down as the anchor of “Inside Politics,” handing the torch to Dana Bash, who will take over as anchor of the esteemed program later this year, the news network announced Thursday. Dana Bash will take over "Inside Politics." CNNBash said that she is “thrilled” to be taking over as the anchor of “Inside Politics,” which airs daily at 12 p.m. Lemon, who was a staple in the network’s prime time lineup, most recently co-hosted “CNN This Morning” alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. CNN also this month launched “CNN News Central,” two three-hour shows that comprise the majority of the network’s dayside lineup.

☆ Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon Hire a Top Hollywood Lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Katie Robertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon, freshly ousted from their perches at top cable networks, have hired the same powerhouse lawyer to navigate their exits. The prominent Hollywood lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has a track record of getting multimillion-dollar settlements for TV stars and other celebrities. The news that both Mr. Carlson, until recently Fox’s top-rated prime time star, and Mr. Lemon, until recently one of CNN’s morning hosts, had retained Mr. Freedman portended possible fights ahead. Mr. Freedman, who is based in Los Angeles, founded the law firm Freedman and Taitelman with Michael Taitelman in 1997.

☆ Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson are hiring the same powerhouse lawyer — who's helped TV hosts secure multimillion-dollar payouts from their old networks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon have hired the same lawyer after leaving their respective networks. He's worked for former TV hosts at ABC, NBC, and CNN, and for a long list of celebrities. But the litigator they've retained, Bryan Freedman, has a record of helping TV hosts secure millions from their old networks. Chris Cuomo, fired by CNN in December 2021, also hired Freedman in his ongoing $125 million wrongful-termination suit against the network. Freedman did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment for Carlson and Lemon, sent outside regular business hours.

☆ CNN fires anchor Don Lemon in the wake of sexist comments, reported mistreatment of colleagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

CNN on Monday fired anchor Don Lemon in the wake of sexist on-air comments and reports that he mistreated female coworkers during his 17 years at the network. Lemon, who had hosted "CNN This Morning" as scheduled, said his agent informed him about his termination Monday morning. Shortly after Lemon first tweeted that he was fired, the network's CEO, Chris Licht, said the anchor and CNN "parted ways." The report was based on more than a dozen former and current colleagues of Lemon, Variety said. He has served as the prime-time anchor of CNN's "Don Lemon Tonight" for more than eight years, the network's website says.

Law Firms Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP FollowApril 18 (Reuters) - New York's Senate on Tuesday easily confirmed Governor Kathy Hochul’s nominee to lead the state’s highest court, elevating a judge favored by liberal lawmakers. Rowan Wilson was approved by a vote of 40 to 19 as chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. Wilson will be the first Black judge in the role, which also oversees the state's court system. Wilson dissented from prominent decisions by former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, including a ruling last year that maps of the state’s congressional districts redrawn by Democratic lawmakers violated the state’s constitution. Wilson's swift confirmation comes after Hochul’s first nominee for the post, appellate Judge Hector LaSalle, was rejected by the state Senate amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers about his record on abortion and labor issues.

☆ CNN is axing Laura Coates' 11 p.m. anchor slot to save on costs, according to sources, and insiders are concerned about on-air representation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

CNN is still shifting its late night lineup, and Laura Coates will no longer anchor solo at 11 p.m.Coates is said to be "stunned" and "disappointed" by losing the opportunity. On paper, Coates would seem like the ideal figure to fill the network's 11 p.m. slot, particularly as CNN already shared a press release about her appointment to the role in January. CNN and news industry insiders who commented for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to speak to the press. "They pulled her off to save money," said one person familiar with internal conversations at CNN. The network's only Black solo anchors now are Abby Phillip, who helms the high-profile "Inside Politics Sunday," and Fredricka Whitfield, who also hosts a weekend show.

Rowan Wilson, an associate judge on the Court of Appeals, was named as chief judge of the same court, overseeing the state's sprawling state judicial system. If confirmed, Wilson would be the first Black judge in the post, replacing Janet DiFiore who stepped down in August. "Judge Wilson's sterling record of upholding justice and fairness makes him well-suited to lead the court at this critical time," Hochul said in a statement. Hochul nominated Caitlin Halligan, a former New York solicitor general and current partner at law firm Selendy Gay Elsberg, to fill Wilson's current role. Wilson was nominated to the Court of Appeals by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, in 2017.

☆ Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo: 'I was going to kill everybody and myself' after firing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo spoke on Anthony Scaramucci's podcast "Open Book" on Wednesday. During the episode, Cuomo said he was "going to kill everybody and myself" after CNN fired him. On an episode of Anthony Scaramucci's podcast, Open Book, on Wednesday, Cuomo admitted that he was so upset after he was cut that he felt like he "was going to kill everybody including myself." Cuomo was fired from CNN in 2021 amid revelations that he helped his brother — former New York Gov. While he may not have the viewership he had at CNN, Cuomo told Scaramucci that he's "trying to have a broader aperture on what matters."

☆ New York Senate rejects Governor Hochul's pick for top state judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] New York Governor Kathy Hochul celebrates at her U.S. midterm election night party after winning re-election in New York, New York, U.S. November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK, Feb 15 (Reuters) - New York's state Senate on Wednesday rejected Governor Kathy Hochul's choice to become the state's highest-ranking judge, a defeat for the state's top Democrat who failed to overcome opposition from her own party to the nomination. Hochul's choice, Hector LaSalle, is the presiding justice of a midlevel state appeals court in Brooklyn, and would have been the first Hispanic chief judge of the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals. Many had hoped Hochul would replace former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore with a more liberal judge. "But it was not a vote on the merits of Justice LaSalle, who is an overwhelmingly qualified and talented jurist.

☆ Chris Cuomo says he's 'emotionally and psychologically beat up' after being fired by CNN in new interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Chris Cuomo spoke out about his ousting from CNN on the "No BS News Hour" podcast last week. Cuomo still said he views CNN as the "best news organization in the world," the New York Post reported. "I am emotionally and psychologically beat up and changed by what I went through," Cuomo told podcast hosts Charlie LeDuff and Karen Dumas, as reported by the New York Post on Saturday. Cuomo was fired from CNN in December 2021, after he helped his brother and former New York Gov. Cuomo told LeDuff and Dumas he wasn't given the opportunity to say goodbye to his staff after CNN abruptly fired him, per the Post.

☆ Trump called E. Jean Carroll's lawyer a 'political operative' and 'a disgrace' during a contentious deposition, and threatened to sue her
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Ashley Collman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Portions of Trump's deposition in E. Jean Carroll's defamation suit were unsealed Friday. In it, he attacks Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, threatening to sue her personally. At another point in the deposition Trump referred to Kaplan as being friends with "Cuomo." Carroll's deposition currently has a trial date set for April 10, but it's unclear if it will make it that far. Carroll initially wasn't able to sue Trump for the alleged assault, because the statute of limitations had expired.

☆ CNN announces revamped daytime lineup with new show format
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —CNN on Wednesday announced a revamped dayside programming lineup that the network said will employ a new format for shows to deliver the news to viewers. Instead, the spokesperson explained, they will be moving around and utilizing the full square footage of the network’s various studios. As a result of the programming changes, “CNN Newsroom” anchors Victor Blackwell and Alisyn Camerota will transition to new roles. CNN didn’t say specifically when the new schedule will go into effect, but the network said it will happen sometime in the coming months. The CNN chief, however, is still searching for a 9 p.m. host since anchor Chris Cuomo was fired in 2021.

☆ New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Says Her Focus Is on Crime and Housing—With Less Brashness in Albany
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ALBANY, N.Y.—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul enters her first full-term facing an uncertain economy, elevated crime and a dire housing crunch. Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, was inaugurated Sunday as the first woman elected governor of the Empire State. The former lieutenant governor first assumed the office in 2021 following former Gov. Andrew Cuomo ‘s resignation, which came amid a sexual-harassment scandal.

CNN —Barbara Walters, the pioneering TV journalist whose interviewing skills made her one of the most prominent figures in broadcasting, has died, her spokesperson confirmed to CNN. She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists but for all women,” Walters’ spokesperson Cindi Berger told CNN in a statement. At that network, Walters launched “The Barbara Walters Specials” and “10 Most Fascinating People” before becoming a co-host and correspondent for ABC News’ “20/20” in 1984. Barbara Walters sits on the set of NBC's "Today" show in New York on April 23, 1976. Barbara Walters is seen at a news conference on September 30, 1976, in New York.

☆ The NRA vs. the Censorship ‘Mob’
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( David B. Rivkin Jr. | Andrew M. Grossman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

It’s the classic threat of B-movie mobsters: Nice business you got there, it’d be a shame if something happened to it. Government shouldn’t operate like that, but it too often does, sometimes to evade the Constitution’s limits on its power. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the practice and provided a road map for officials to circumvent the First Amendment’s protection for freedom of speech. Maria Vullo led the New York State Department of Financial Services, which has broad power to regulate almost every major financial player in the U.S. After the February 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., Ms. Vullo and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a press release stating that the department would “urge” the insurers, banks and companies it regulates “to review any relationships they may have with the National Rifle Association” for “reputational risk.”

☆ New York Attorney General Defends Handling of Harassment Allegations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New York state Attorney General Letitia James has received criticism from an advocacy group, some New York Republicans and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s aides for her handling of the harassment claims. Letitia James , the New York Attorney General who garnered national attention for her sexual-harassment investigation into now-disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo , on Wednesday defended her recent handling of harassment allegations against a former top aide. Ibrahim Khan , her former chief of staff whose resignation was announced last week, was accused in October of having inappropriate contact with two women in separate encounters outside the office, according to two people familiar with the matter.

☆ Some charges dismissed against ex-N.Y. lieutenant governor arrested in campaign finance fraud investigation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Bribery and fraud charges against former New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin were tossed out Monday by a federal judge, leaving Benjamin to face only records falsification charges and prompting his lawyers to say it was tragic that the case was ever brought. Benjamin, a Democrat, resigned after his arrest last April. During a state Legislature career that began in May 2017, he emphasized criminal justice reform and affordable housing. The charges that were left intact allege that Benjamin knowingly made a false entry in a record with the intent to impede an investigation.

☆ Supreme Court Weighs Limits in Fraud Prosecutions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jan Wolfe | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a set of public-corruption cases that shook up New York politics, with the justices mulling whether to limit how federal prosecutors can pursue fraud cases nationwide. The court heard two cases emerging from former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara ‘s crackdown on what he called a “show-the-money culture in Albany” during the tenure of former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo . Mr. Cuomo, who resigned from office in August 2021, wasn’t accused of wrongdoing in the cases, but they cast a shadow over his governorship.

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