New York congressman threatens to throw reporter off balcony

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.

With the camera still rolling, Grimm surges toward the reporter, who appears visibly surprised.

The second-term congressman, who's also a former Marine and former FBI agent, spoke aggressively to Scotto for about 20 seconds.

NY1 broadcast the confrontation, though it bleeped out the obscenities.

"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.

Scotto replied that he was just trying to ask "a valid question."

"No, no. You're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half, like a boy," Grimm replied.

CNN Video & Article

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.

This is a perfect example of how government officials force the hand of journalists. Government officials only want to be interviewed on subject matter they're prepared to answer. Everything else is off the table. When a young reporter has the guts to step outside the box and ask the tough questions, our "professional" congressman panics and threatens the reporter with bodily harm. The last thing our representatives deserve is our respect, considering they have allowed the constitutional rights of Americans to be trampled upon by this and previous administrations. They serve us, we don't bow down to them and expect them to dictate what questions can legitimately be asked by the press, who are expected to protect the public from government officials who over step their authority.

American's and especially the people of NY should be outraged at the behavior of this elected official. This incident clearly shows the strong armed government tactics against the press that happen way to often behind the scenes.

reply to post by WeRpeons

I agree that he shouldn't have threatened him. He should have simply broken him in half ... like a little boy ... and thrown him over the railing.

Now that would have shown him who's boss!!

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.

P

Snarl
reply to post by WeRpeons

 

I agree that he shouldn't have threatened him. He should have simply broken him in half ... like a little boy ... and thrown him over the railing.

Now that would have shown him who's boss!!

Hahahahahah yep that would have made a rather dramatic point ! The whole government body is going after reporters and so called whistle blowers that do not tow the party line; but in typical Marine fashion this rep went over the line of acceptable behavior... He did make his point well known though for all to see.. Have to wonder what the fallout will be if any ?

We have elected or allowed a class of people who know they are superior to all the pedestrians of the country; if they did not know before they got an office they will shortly... Momma always knows best in a nanny state

reply to post by pheonix358

Wow. Good response. There's a lot of ways to consider what happened here.

I wonder if a court of law considers the act of intimidation the same thing as a direct threat.

reply to post by 727Sky

but in typical Marine fashion this rep went over the line of acceptable behavior... He did make his point well known though for all to see.. Have to wonder what the fallout will be if any?

This guy Grimm has an interesting history to say the least. I'm sure that video is gonna come up in any re-election bid. I don't think New Yorkers are going to let it slide for a Republican either.

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 WeRpeons


I'd like to see Grimm try that on Jesse Ventura...

I doubt he's man enough.

Seriously, though...

What a cry-baby.

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!

I suppose it's a refreshing change from a Politician's usual MO. Ignore the question and talk about whatever you want because the Press don't make you stay on topic.

As Pheonix said above. Why has he not been arrested?

If any of us threatened him, we'd be praying that we never drop the soap in the shower.

reply to post by WeRpeons


Grimm by name, Grimm by nature...and a bloody Grimm day for New Yorkers if that criminal moron gets to stay in office or not taken to jail. If not for the actual threats, for the complete lack of political awareness alone! The cameras were rolling after all!

Just how many boys has this Grimm bloke broken in half and thrown to their deaths anyway?

Snarl
reply to post by pheonix358

 

Wow. Good response. There's a lot of ways to consider what happened here.

I wonder if a court of law considers the act of intimidation the same thing as a direct threat.

Intimidation would have been where he was right in the reporters face after lunging towards him aggressively...a direct threat was when he threatened to kill the reporter if he asked him any more awkward questions.

I think he covered both.

reply to post by WeRpeons


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.

reply to post by WeRpeons


Wow... Big Bad Bully Boy figures he's a tough guy to push around a wimpy reporter? (No offense to the reporter..)

I'd say everyone in the nation who can, ought to show their support for the reporter and the concept of RESPECT for a free press by insuring everything this Grimm punk has ever done that relates to his political career become as public and as widespread as humanly possible.

I hate bully boys with a passion. Add another strike with being a bully boy comes from some sense of entitlement by former police work or something... It just doesn't work for me, and even in the exceptionally corrupt halls of New York/Albany politics? Threatening to murder a journalist for a story lead being pursued is just a LITTLE rude, I'd say.

Yup... We have punks in elected office as sure as we have them pulling nickle and dime crime on the street. This Rep. is living proof of it and I hope he never gets elected to anything after this, for the rest of his life. He's too damned dangerous to be in any form of elected office. Too dangerous and too CORRUPT.

reply to post by WeRpeons


Naked Fascism is really ugly.

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

NY is on a roll this year. Sending out confiscation notices to gun owners, the governor telling people they don't belong in his state, congressman threatening to kill a reporter.

Way to go NY!

Instead of "I ♥ NY" they should be selling bumper stickers that say something like "NY H8S U"

Yea he is a bully. However, the reporter has a coward's heart. He had the cameras as a shield. He made a huge mistake by taking a step backwards rather than standing his ground. Had he done so this never would have happened. Bullies feed on fear. I know, I am an anti-bully.

People think they should have the right to stand on the porch and yap at passing dogs without being bit. I do not understand this line of reasoning. Ask your questions, by all means. But have a backbone when those questions elicit a response. He asked a question, the minute the Congressman approached him he folded and cringed. He fed the coming response. Is it his fault? No. It is a character flaw in both men.

One is a coward and one is a bully. It was a recipe for disaster. But, good television I suppose.

This NY Congressman should be fired NOW! I already have very little respect for politicians and yet again another prime example surfaces. I do not understand why people vote for these shady swindlers?!?!

When the freedom of the press is threatened with thuggery, you know that wisps of fascism are creeping into politics.

Yes... it's a singular incident so far and no, it's not yet a trend, but, unless the congressman is roundly criticized by his peers, we might see more of this.

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

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.