CNN Reporter: Lawmakers ‘Devastated for our Democracy’ After Jeff Zucker’s Resignation

Jeff Zucker’s resignation as president of CNN not only sent shock waves through the media world this week but has even rattled members of Congress, according to a reporter at the network.

Jamie Gangel, a special correspondent for CNN and a longtime associate of Zucker, said four members of Congress — including one who sits on the highly-politicized congressional committee investigating the January 6th riot on Capitol Hill — feel “devastated for our democracy” following Zucker’s resignation.

Vanity Fair reports:

“The first calls I got this morning were from four members of the January 6 committee, who felt devastated for our democracy, because Jeff was not going to be around to make sure that CNN is able to do its job,” she said (later clarifying to colleagues that she meant to say four congresspeople, including one member of the committee).

“I think the company has made a terrible mistake by doing this,” Gangel said of her former boss’s sudden departure.

“I do not think you have any appreciation for what you’ve done to this organization,” she added.

Zucker abruptly resigned Wednesday after acknowledging a consensual relationship with another network executive — an entanglement that came to light during an investigation of now-fired anchor Chris Cuomo.

Zucker said he was asked about his relationship with longtime aide Allison Gollust as part of the Cuomo investigation, which revealed that the former anchor had aided his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as he navigated a sexual harassment scandal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.