The network president had spent years standing by his anchor. Now, feeling that Mr. Cuomo had misled him, Mr. Zucker was losing patience. He had initially planned to fire Mr. Cuomo, before deciding to hold off.Mr. Zucker tried to be diplomatic as he broke the news that Mr. Cuomo was suspended. He suggested there was a chance he could return after the network’s investigation ran its course, according to people familiar with the conversation.CNN went back to Cravath and asked the firm to examine the new information about the interactions between the Cuomo brothers.The next morning, Dec. 1, the CNN reporter Brian Stelter said on-air that Mr. Cuomo could “be back in January.”An Office EncounterThat night, the fateful …
