Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo defended his interview with a former Trump campaign chairman Tuesday after receiving backlash from a social media user.
Cuomo interviewed Paul Manafort on his podcast, “The Chris Cuomo Project,” to discuss the FBI raid in Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s potential presidential run in 2024, and the Mueller investigation following the 2016 presidential election. One social media user called the interview “pathetic.”
“So you didn’t listen. Didn’t watch. And already know what you think,” Cuomo responded. “That’s why there is no progress. Change the game. Listen to who and what you oppose. You will sharpen your own arguments. Censoring is not the answer.”
So you didn’t listen. Didnt watch. And already know what you think. That’s why there is no progress. Change the game. Listen to who and what you oppose. You will sharpen your own arguments. Censoring is not the answer https://t.co/7qO1eKPFOA
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) August 23, 2022
Cuomo has made an effort to cross partisan lines in his comeback to the media since CNN fired him over his involvement in his brother’s sexual assault allegation case. The former anchor questioned Manafort on him “being too generous” to the former president regarding his storage of classified documents in Mar-a-Lago. (RELATED: ‘Egregious And Insulting’: Don Lemon Battles With Chris Cuomo For Bringing Rick Santorum On His Show)
“I think your analysis is a little too generous, no?” Cuomo asked.
“No, I don’t agree,” Manafort said. “There’s more to come out as there always is in instances like this. I think the affidavit redacted to keep names of things protected that would explain what the motivations were. You can say it’s such an egregious act that there has to be something there. But after going through five years of Russian collusion has to be real, I don’t know what’s real anymore…this sends a terrible example around the world.”
In 2018, a federal jury found Manafort guilty of eight counts of tax evasion and bank fraud surrounding accusations that he hid income as part of his consulting work for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. The government alleged that he hid money in companies located overseas.
Trump pardoned Manafort in late December 2020, while he served his sentence at home due to COVID-19 protocols.
During his podcast in early August, Cuomo accused the January 6 Select Committee of playing the “gotcha game” since they know those investigated will not face criminal charges.
“Fomenting tension, lying to inflame just to create more outrage, wanting to watch a run on the Capitol, ignoring violent intentions, these are all terrible,” he said. “But treason? You wind up undercutting your purpose when you exaggerate the desired outcome or consequence … the January 6 hearings lose their impact on consensus because of the intended consequences pursued.”