It started out like dozens of other interviews after Tuesday night’s State of the Union address. But when NY1 reporter Mike Scotto decided to press Rep. Michael Grimm on his
personal campaign finances, the Republican congressman abruptly ended the interview.
“This is only about the president’s speech, thank you,” Grimm says before walking off camera.
It’s certainly not the first time a politician has walked out during a live interview. But what happened next is shocking even to the most jaded observer.
After Stotto returns to his report, Rep. Grimm, a former FBI agent and Marine, suddenly storms back into the camera frame,
whispering a threat to the reporter.
"I will break you in half," he says, reportedly threatening to throw the journalist over a balcony inside the U.S. Congress.
Although the audio is largely muted, NY1 employees say that Grimm said, "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I'll throw you off this balcony.”
“I just wanted to ask you … it’s a valid question,” Stotto says, clearly taken aback by Grimm’s suddenly confrontational attitude.
“No, no,” Grimm says. “You're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half. Like a boy."
Posts
