Emmy-nominated sports reporter fired after he called GOP Sen. Tim Scott an 'Uncle Tom'

A TV sports reporter was fired on Wednesday after he called Republican Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) an "Uncle Tom."

Fred Gerteiny, a sports reporter for the News 12 Connecticut network, wrote the racial slur in a since-deleted post on Twitter. Gerteiny replied to a tweet by The Hill's Twitter account that linked to an article about Scott commenting on President Donald Trump's remarks during the first presidential debate regarding the Proud Boys.

Gerteiny wrote, "Thanks Uncle Tom," in the now-deleted tweet.

On Wednesday, Gerteiny issued an apology on his Twitter account, which has since been deleted.

"Earlier today, I tweeted a racially insensitive comment, when I referred to @SenatorTimScott as an 'Uncle Tom.' I apologize to the Senator, my colleagues @News12CT, and anyone else I may have offended with this deeply offensive tweet," Gerteiny wrote.

Gerteiny, who is white, claimed that he also "wrote an email to Senator Scott" to apologize for the comment.

Gerteiny was fired by News 12 Connecticut for the "racially insensitive comment" on Wednesday.

"News 12 Connecticut learned on Wednesday afternoon that one of its anchors acted inappropriately on social media. After reviewing the incident, the network released sports reporter, Fred Gerteiny, as a result of a racially insensitive comment," News 12 Connecticut said in a statement. "News 12 Networks has a zero tolerance policy for racism or improper conduct based on race, and prides itself on being an objective and unbiased multi-platform news company."

Gerteiny's profile has been scrubbed from the News 12 Connecticut website.

An "Uncle Tom," is a "Black person, especially a man, considered by other Black people to be subservient to or to curry favor with white people," according to the definition provided by Dictionary.com.

Scott told reporters on Wednesday that he believed President Trump "misspoke" during the presidential debate.

"White supremacy should be denounced at every turn," Scott said. "I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it. If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak."

President Trump has since clarified his comments from Tuesday's debate. On Wednesday, President Trump said he didn't know who the Proud Boys are and noted that the group should "stand down and let law enforcement do its work."

Earlier this year, Scott predicted that black support for President Donald Trump would increase by 50% in 2020 compared to 2016.

"President Trump will see a 50 percent increase in his African-American support," Scott told Fox News host Neil Cavuto in February. "It will go from 8 percent in 2016 to a minimum of 12 percent in 2020. He may even get to 15 percent of the African American vote, and that is game over."

Another black conservative had racial slurs thrown at him in the past week. Women's March co-founder Tamika Mallory called Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron a "sellout negro" for not charging the two police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.

Daily Beast columnist and CNN commentator Sophia A. Nelson called Cameron an "Uncle Tom," who "is a disgrace to his people and his community."