CNN fires Chris Cuomo for helping brother handle sexual misconduct allegations

CNN announced Saturday that anchor Chris Cuomo has been fired after evidence emerged that he used his position and contacts to help his older brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), try to weather accusations of sexual misconduct, Reuters reports.

The former governor resigned in August after an investigation concluded that he had groped or otherwise harassed 11 women who worked for him.

CNN called Chris Cuomo's behavior "a breach of journalistic ethics" and announced that the network has hired a law firm to examine his behavior in greater depth.

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In a statement released Saturday, Chris Cuomo wrote: "This is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother. So let me now say as disappointing as this is, I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNN's No. 1 show."

Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who frequently insults Chris Cuomo's intelligence, defended the then-suspended CNN host on Tuesday's episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight. "Helping his brother is not the worst thing Chris Cuomo ever did. In fact, it may have been the best thing he ever did," Carlson said. "You help [family] when they need it. Period. It's called loyalty."

The Cuomo brothers are sons of late New York Governor Mario Cuomo. They are not related to Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.