Chris Cuomo advised his brother Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign, report says

• Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his plan to resign on Tuesday amid a sexual-harassment scandal.
• The New York Times reported that his brother Chris Cuomo had advised the resignation.
• The star CNN anchor had reportedly has taken part in strategy calls with the governor since earlier this year.

The CNN anchor Chris Cuomo privately advised his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to resign from his post, The New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the conversations.

Gov. Cuomo announced his plan to step down in 14 days' time on Tuesday. It came a week after the New York Attorney General released a report that found that he sexually harassed 11 women, including members of his staff, while he was governor.

Cuomo had pushed back on the allegations, but apologized for offending women with what he called "outdated" behavior.

According to The Times, Chris Cuomo had been speaking regularly to the governor over the past week, and said he would not survive the scandal. Top aides of the governor, including secretary Melissa DeRosa, had resigned in the wake of the report.

It was not clear what exactly prompted Gov. Cuomo's decision to resign, or whether other people had advised him to do it.

The Washington Post first reported in May that Chris Cuomo had taken part in strategy calls with Gov. Cuomo and his aides, prompting the anchor to apologize to viewers and his colleagues on air.

The New York Attorney General's report last week confirmed the younger Cuomo's involvement, even accusing him of drafting a press release for his brother.

Earlier this week Brian Stelter, CNN's chief media correspondent, said network executives had told Chris Cuomo not to talk about his brother on air or take part in any more strategy sessions with the governor. The Times reported on Tuesday that CNN did not forbid him from speaking to his brother directly.

Stelter described the Cuomo situation as an "optics problem" for CNN, adding: "This entire story looks awkward for CNN."

Chris Cuomo is off the air this week in what he described as a preplanned vacation to celebrate his birthday.