As legislators left the House of Representatives chamber following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, a local NY1 reporter tried to ask New York Rep. Michael Grimm a few questions, including one about his campaign finances, which are being investigated. Grimm refused to answer, but instead of just saying ‘no comment,’ he lashed out and threatened to throw the reporter off the Capitol rotunda balcony. The entire incident was caught on tape.
Reporter Michael Scotto asked Grimm if he could comment on the investigation into his 2010 campaign finances. “I'm not speaking to you off-topic, this is only about the president,” Grimm replied, cutting Scotto off.
“So Congressman Michael Grimm does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his campaign finances,” Scotto said, going back to the anchors in New York. However, the cameras kept rolling and Grimm walked back to Scotto.
“Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I'll throw you off this f-----g balcony,” Grimm told him. Scotto said that it was a “valid” question and Grimm later said, “No, no, you're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half. Like a boy.”
TIME reports that Grimm later issued a statement, but did not apologize. “I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests,” Grimm said, noting that he did not have time to talk about anything other than the State of the Union.
“I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favor,” Grimm continued. “I doubt that I am the first Member of Congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won’t be the last.”
The Republican’s campaign finances became a topic when the FBI charged a donor for using straw donors in order to make more contributions to his campaign than allowed.
image: Wikimedia Commons
