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Chris Cuomo Had Bigger Role in Andrew Cuomo Sexual Harassment Defense Strategy, Records Show

Chris Cuomo
Chris Cuomo

Theo Wargo/Getty Chris Cuomo

Chris Cuomo had a bigger role in developing the defense strategy of his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, than previously thought, records released Monday by the New York Attorney General show.

"The thousands of pages of additional transcripts and exhibits that were released today by the N.Y. Attorney General deserve a thorough review and consideration," a CNN spokesperson tells PEOPLE. "We will be having conversations and seeking additional clarity about their significance as they relate to CNN over the next several days."

The records, which consist of text messages, emails, and transcripts of Chris' testimony amid the sexual assault allegations against his brother, 63, show that the Cuomo Prime Time host, 51, was consistently in touch with one of Andrew's closest aides, Melissa DeRosa, after news of the scandal broke earlier this year.

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RELATED: CNN's Chris Cuomo Accused of Sexual Harassment by His Former ABC Boss, Who Calls for 'Accountability'

Andrew Cuomo; Chris Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo; Chris Cuomo

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Andrew Cuomo, Chris Cuomo

"Please let me help with prep," reads a text from Chris to DeRosa, 38, in early March regarding Andrew's statement about the allegations — which Chris described as "poor," and revised via text, according to the records.

A few days after The New York Times published a report in which a woman named Anna Ruch accused the former New York governor of an unwanted advance at a wedding, Chris texted DeRosa that he had "a lead on the wedding girl."

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In another text exchange shown in the documents, DeRosa encouraged Chris to "check your sources" to gather intel after rumors that more women were planning on coming forward with allegations against the politician started making the rounds. "Rumor going around from politico 1-2 more ppl coming out tomorrow," DeRosa wrote, adding, "Can u check your sources," to which Chris replied, "On it."

"I would — when asked, I would reach out to sources, other journalists, to see if they had heard of anybody else coming out," Chris admitted to investigators in his deposition. "I was frequently in contact when we would hear word that there were other people coming out. Or there was more to be learned about somebody, I would talk to other journalists to hear what they had heard."

RELATED: Chris Cuomo Addresses His Silence on Brother Andrew Cuomo's Resignation

In May, the longtime CNN host apologized for advising his brother on the sexual harassment claims against him, calling his involvement in the case "a mistake."

"It was a mistake because I put my colleagues here, who I believe are the best in the business, in a bad spot," Chris said during an episode of Cuomo Prime Time. "I never intended for that. I would never intend for that. And I am sorry for that."

RELATED: CNN's Jake Tapper Says Chris Cuomo Advising Brother Andrew on Harassment Claims Wasn't 'Appropriate'

Before Chris' on-air apology, The Washington Post had reported that the journalist had also participated "in a series of conference calls" with his brother, lawyers, aides, and strategists on how to navigate the allegations against the former New York governor, who later resigned from his position in August.

Fellow CNN news anchor Jake Tapper issued a response to the controversy of Chris' involvement in his brother's scandal, citing that journalists should not have a conflict of interest with the stories they are covering. "I cannot imagine a world in which anybody in journalism thinks that that was appropriate," Tapper said during an interview with The New York Times' Sway podcast.

"He said, Chris, in his apology that he delivered on air, said that he put us in a bad spot. And I would also agree with that," Tapper, 52, continued. "I work very hard to be fair and to be ethical and to not cross lines. And I certainly understand the love that Chris has for his brother, and I have a brother and I get it. But that was not a fun day."