



The State of the Union was Tuesday night! DC got its hair done and went to watch President Obama regale a captive nation with stories about meager but sustained economic growth and how Congress is basically the worst, but 2014 is a new year and the sun will come out tomorrow so turn that frown upside down, kiddo!

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) did not, in fact, turn his frown upside down. Instead, he threatened to throw NY1 reporter Michael Scotto off a balcony after being asked about alleged campaign finance irregularities.

On TV.

You know, like you do.

It’s a bit hard to make out what the distinguished gentleman from Staten Island is saying to Scotto, but here are the key bits, courtesy of NY1:

Grimm: “Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I’ll throw you off this f—–g balcony.” Scotto: “Why? I just wanted to ask you…” [[cross talk]] Grimm: “If you ever do that to me again…” Scotto: “Why? Why? It’s a valid question.” [[cross talk]] Grimm: “No, no, you’re not man enough, you’re not man enough. I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.”

Later, Grimm released a statement in which he failed to apologize, generally blamed the whole thing on the pesky unprofessional reporter, and sort of hinted towards more physical threats to come:

“I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview in lieu of several other requests…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 certain I won’t be the last.”

Grimm, a former FBI agent, should learn two things from this episode:

1) Don’t threaten reporters with physical violence.

2) If you do threaten reporters with physical violence, don’t do it when the reporters’ camera crew is still filming B roll. You’ll look pretty unhinged!

UPDATE: On Wednesday, Grimm released a second, less-tone deaf statement.