Rep. Michael Grimm, a Republican who represents the state of New York, physically threatened NY1 TV reporter Michael Scotto when an interview after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address didn’t go the way he wanted.

Rep. Michael Grimm Threatens Reporter

After getting Grimm’s thoughts on Obama’s address, Scotto decided to close out the interview by asking the congressman if he’d comment on the Justice Department’s investigation into his campaign finances. Initially, Grimm simply told Scotto that he was not going to comment on anything other than the president’s speech and walked away.

After Scotto returned to the center of the frame to explain that Grimm didn’t want to talk about the investigation, Grimm strode back across the camera to get into the reporter’s face. “Let me be clear to you. If you ever do that to me again I’ll throw you off this f—ing balcony,” Grimm said.

After that, Grimm again walked away, only to return to the confrontation. Some of what Grimm says is inaudible on the recording, but before he walks away for good he’s heard making another threat. "No, no. You’re not man enough, you’re not man enough. I’ll break you in half,” he said. “Like a boy.”

Scotto admitted that he was genuinely surprised by Grimm’s hostile response in an interview with CNN. He thought that Grimm would likely just decline to answer and maintain his innocence in any wrongdoing, and that would be it. Scotto also stated that he’s not frightened by Grimm’s threat.

Grimm Offers Explanation, Apologizes

Since the video went viral, Grimm issued an explanation for his behavior to The Huffington Post:

“I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests. The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic. 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. 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 New York congressman also apparently reached out to Scotto to offer an apology, which the reporter confirmed on Twitter.

– Chelsea Regan

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