NY1, the television news station, accused Staten Island’s Rep. Michael Grimm of physically threatening one of its reporters after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.
In a video posted late Tuesday evening, NY1 reporter Michael Scotto asked Mr. Grimm to comment on a matter other than Mr. Obama’s speech. Mr. Grimm, a Republican up for re-election, abruptly ended the interview and walked away, telling Mr. Scotto, “I’m not speaking to you off-topic, this is only about the president.”
Mr. Scotto suggested the congressman didn’t want to speak about alleged campaign finance violations and then signed off. Seconds later, the congressman returned, and could be seen on camera pulling Mr. Scotto aside. According to a transcript of the exchange released by NY1, Mr. Grimm threatened Mr. Scotto, saying he would throw the reporter off a Capitol balcony.
“You’re not man enough, you’re not man enough,” Mr. Grimm could be heard saying on the video released by NY1 and in the transcript. “I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.”
In an emailed response, Mr. Grimm said he was “extremely annoyed” after “doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first,” during the media crush after the State of the Union address.
“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,” Mr. Grimm said.
“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,” he added.
Mr. Scotto couldn’t be reached for comment.
Earlier in January, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested a donor to Mr. Grimm on charges she used straw donors to illegally contribute to his 2010 campaign, which violates federal financing law. Mr. Grimm, the only Republican member of Congress from New York City, hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing in the investigation.
NY1 Political Director Bob Hardt called on the congressman to apologize. “It is extremely disturbing when anyone threatens one of our reporters – let alone a U.S. Congressman,” Mr. Hardt wrote on Twitter Tuesday evening. “The NY1 family is certainly alarmed and disappointed by the behavior of Rep. Grimm and demands a full apology from him,” he said, adding, “this behavior is unacceptable.”
Write to Mara Gay at mara.gay@wsj.com
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