New York congressman threatens to throw reporter off balcony

So tell me. Turn the tables. What if the reporter threatened the Congressman. Would he still be walking around as a free person or would the SS, Homeland security, FBI etc ad infinitum, arrest him.

The answer to that question will tell you how free your country truly is, or is not, as the case may be.

Good point. It's a tell tell sign that government officials are not held accountable like the average guy on the street. This congressman should be reprimanded by the Speaker of the House and some monetary fine be levied against him for his threat. This type of threat has occurred off camera with other members of congress which was mentioned by a reporter on CNN. The reporter said most members will make sure it's not being recorded when they verbally attack a reporter. They were surprised they caught it on camera.

reply to post by masqua


I don’t find anything particularly humorous in this outburst. And it is not a rare occasion either. Have you forgotten all the outbursts during the townhall meetings a couple of years back?

I think that many politicians are starting to feel cornered. And they are reacting as such. Cornered rats.

But of course, if they were doing nothing wrong, then they would probably be able to answer hard questions at the drop of a hat.

reply to post by WeRpeons


Well, that wasn't very nice.

IMVHO, he was pretty stoopit getting anywhere near a reporter when he's being investigated for corruption. A 'good' politician he obviously ain't. -snicker-

reply to post by Snarl


It goes to show you how brash this congressman was and how his ego interfered with common sense.

reply to post by WeRpeons


I think people are getting wackier, seriously, wacky and angry, and goofy.

BTW.. The Congressman's bio shows he's a lawyer by education, like so many of them.... That's another strike on him, in my book. (New York Law School)

Oh New York..please..flush your commode once in awhile. The stench from the political offices tends to drift outside your state and the nation is tired of the smell.. Ugh! (New York isn't alone..but wow.. that is some stench)

What an arrogant PoS!
The reporter obviously struck a nerve there and the reaction of the PoS politician shows the public just what sort of arrogant bully he is. I suspect he acted the same in the military and FBI too, typical bully mentality thinking he is shielded by his position. They always think that until the day someone has enough and offs them!

reply to post by Britguy


This is exactly how I felt when I watched the video last night on CNN. What's sad, is there are more congressman and women who are just as arrogant.

reply to post by TDawgRex

While I think that Grimm stepped over the line, I am finding that more and more candid interviews/responses to be refreshing. We are seeing it a lot more lately. I hate all these prepared talking point types of responses. If you want to be a actor and repeat somebody else's lines, go to Hollywood. This reporter caught Grimm out of his comfort zone.

But yea...Grimm is probably through.

...and that's the way it should be! Government officials shouldn't be allowed to set the agenda on what they prefer to say on camera, nor strong arm the news media on what they report. Our founding fathers knew that a government-controlled press could not properly serve and protect their citizens. We now have corporations who own the media pushing their own self serving agenda. Congress knows this, yet they ignore establishing laws to prevent this because they're also benefiting from it.

masqua
Too many will see this as simply humorous. It isn't. It's a death threat to someone doing their job.

You know, I've had several hours to think about this thread. Something was bothering me ... and I think you put your finger right on it. There's nothing really funny about this at all. Not what the reporter was trying to pull off, and certainly not the way Grimm reacted. On top of that ... I don't think those two have finished their dance macabre as yet.

WeRpeons
Rep. Michael Grimm, R-New York, threatened a reporter who asked him a question about his illegal fundraising during his 2010 campaign.

It started when Grimm, who's under investigation by the Justice Department for illegal fundraising during his 2010 campaign, walked away from an on-camera interview about the State of the Union after the reporter, Michael Scotto, tried to ask him questions about the allegations.

This reporter was doing his job by reporting alleged criminal activity by a congressional rep that we as tax payers voted into office. He felt he wasn't given the "respect" by the reporter because he wasn't asked a question related to Obama's speech in which he had a planned response.

For all we know there was an agreement that questions about the ALLEGATIONS would not be asked. At any rate it was a set up to discredit any criticism of Obamas speech. Just the press batting for the administration.

When was the last time you saw the press ask about allegations pending during an interview with one of their dem darlings? And a lot worse allegations than this guy is under right now.

Who is really the bully here? The reporter was engaging in passive aggressive type bullying. That type is far more prevalent in the press than hot heads that pop off.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


the end is nigh

Snarl

masqua
Too many will see this as simply humorous. It isn't. It's a death threat to someone doing their job.

You know, I've had several hours to think about this thread. Something was bothering me ... and I think you put your finger right on it. There's nothing really funny about this at all. Not what the reporter was trying to pull off, and certainly not the way Grimm reacted. On top of that ... I don't think those two have finished their dance macabre as yet.

Yea, I noticed that.

If I was to rush Rep. Grimm like that; making the same exact comments, and it was all caught on video, 12 hours later I would be in a loony-bin awaiting Federal charges and put onto NSA/SS registry lists.

In all reality though, 12 hours later Rep. Grimm is not in cuffs waiting to see a judge. Instead this morning he is probably enjoying a prime rib & whiskey breakfast at some swanky gentlemen's club in the upper east side while laughing about how awesome it was to flex all over a common man.

“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 said in a statement given to NY1, a CNN affiliate.

politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...

I don't know whether he meant to throw him off the balcony literally or to have the reporter escorted off of it. People have expressions. That is unless it was an outright threat.

Of course, it didn't help that the reporter was asking about campaign finances. A person can take that in several ways according to this own dictates. Perhaps the man felt his integrity was under attack. No clue, but his reaction was certainly not one you see every day from a congressman.

I just saw this myself.

Wrabbit2000

xavi1000
And people are wondering why Republicans will dont have president in the next 20 years.

If you'd like...I can and absolutely WILL fill pages with Democrats also guilty of and prosecuted at times for intimidation, official corruption and obstruction/cover-up.

Can't we give the left/right..Dem/Repub nonsense a break?? This guy HAPPENS to be a Republican for his "title". He's a scumbag bully boy, in my opinion, to the core. You can change titles ..and they DO, often enough...you can't change your core and rotten cores come at the heart of both political parties, equally.

Rotten right to the core, too. ignorant donkey and psychopathic elephant both.

My sentiments EXACTLY, Wrabbit. And like you, I despise bully boys with a heated passion. Punks like him know who to come at with that crap, and they also know whom not to step to with said crap.

reply to post by poloblack


Yea I don't like bullies either. ANY bully. I cant stand being attacked needlessly either though. I wont stand for it myself. Things do work two ways though.


Reporter is now saying he didn't take him seriously about the physical, while another reporter mentions threats happening often. O.o Hmm.

Can't we give the left/right..Dem/Repub nonsense a break?? This guy HAPPENS to be a Republican for his "title". He's a scumbag bully boy, in my opinion, to the core. You can change titles ..and they DO, often enough...you can't change your core and rotten cores come at the heart of both political parties, equally.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I agree with that! There are plenty corrupt scumbags on both sides of the isle. To think only republicans act like this is ignoring the basic fact that their egos make them feel they're above the rest of society, and above the law.

The majority of them are millionaires, and many of them can't relate to the average American. Bring their salaries down to the average American, stop giving them perks and benefits most Americans don't have and limit their terms to 4 years. Maybe than, their egos will drop to be more in line with most of the people they represent. Maybe than, we'll see honest hard working people elected to these offices and a life long career out of politics will stop. Maybe than, bills they introduce will benefit the majority rather than the upper 10 percent.

Wow. I got confused watching that and thinking that I had somehow ended up watching a clip from a mafia based tv show or something. Good grief. The Rep's statement doesn't even pass muster in acceptability for a Congressman as he claimed "annoyance" and also said that he expected "a certain level of professionalism". Back at you, Congressman.

I'm sorry but if I ever found myself in that position I would call his bluff in a heartbeat. Especially knowing the camera was running...he could get all agro and uppity in my face all he wants. My only response would be to re-ask the question while pointing out how he is obviously dodging the question and following up with the "why are you trying to dodge the question?" "what are you worried about...do you not want to tell your constituents the truth?". I would love to be physically attacked by a senator or congressman...not only would I have a chance to release my aggression, frustrations, and sheer anger where it belongs. Also having the benefit of it all being captured on camera...oh and the law suit and criminal charges I would press and push into the media for all to see. This fool must be one of the dumbest politicians on the hill!

There's too many lawyers in politics. When most of them are lawyers then there's something wrong. This guy has obviously watched 'The God Father' one too many times. The reporter should have Grimm arrested for death threat. Had the reporter threatened Grimm he would've been arrested within minutes.