After spending several months out of the public eye following his termination from CNN, Chris Cuomo is resurfacing.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the former CNN anchor would be getting his own show on Nexstar Media-back NewsNation.
And on a Thursday episode of his podcast, “The Chris Cuomo Project,” he took some time to speak about the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and the impeachment of former President Donald Trump.
“Absolutely, it is in your interest for what happened [on Jan. 6] and by whom to be rooted out and remedied,” Cuomo said. “There could be crimes…less so, I think, around the planning and the practical aspects of what happened on Jan. 6. I don’t see that there’s criminality there — at least in what’s been offered.”
He went on to ask if the public is “really learning enough about what matters” or, “Is this starting to play like a gotcha game? Like the impeachment.”
Watch the video below:
He says that those talking about locking up Trump on "treason" "go there because it fuels the fringe aspects of the party."
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) July 28, 2022
And on the Russia hoax, he asks "So why tear at the fabric [of America] that way?"
And warns not to "exaggerate the desired outcome or consequence." pic.twitter.com/paTxfQsUVp
Cuomo said that the issues involved in the impeachment process mattered, but, “You knew you were never going to get the outcome.”
“I don’t know that that kind of fomenting of tension, that kind of protracted process when you know you weren’t going to remove the president, was that really in America’s interest? Certainly debatable,” he added.
Cuomo claimed that Trump and his allies were “lousy leaders” but dismissed the idea of accusing Trump of treason.
“Why even go there? They go there because it fuels the fringe aspects of the party. Collusion with Russian operatives. Yes, collusion is behavior. It’s not a crime. The crime is conspiracy. And it’s a distinction with a difference. And they were nowhere near it. And it wasn’t ever going to be prosecuted,” he said of allegations that members of Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to swing the election.
He reiterated that Trump may have exhibited “terrible” behavior such as lying and a lack of action on Jan. 6. But, Cuomo again dismissed the idea of charging Trump with treason.
And politicians were not the only ones who received criticism. Cuomo also took aim at the media for being “provocative” and “reflecting what the Democrats and others are saying” without pushback.
“They should be pushing back as well, you know, not all flames need to be fed. Some need to be smothered,” he added.
What a concept.
"Of course" democracy and our institutions matter, he argues, "But does anyone think that these hearings" will "ultimately" protect them? pic.twitter.com/YA9Tl9QES3
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) July 28, 2022
Finally, Cuomo said he was not dismissing the need to protect democracy or uphold institutions. However, he asked, “Does anyone think that these [Jan. 6] hearings, that that’s what they’ll actually yield?”
Cuomo’s comments about the media are, of course, ironic after he spent years working for a network that breathlessly covered even the wildest allegations around the Russia probe, and adopted the phrase “the Big Lie” to discuss Trump’s election claims.
Perhaps this is what he believed all along and was facing pressure from CNN to angle his coverage.
Or perhaps this is an attempt to re-brand himself ahead of his new show.