P1 Grimm

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) has apologized after threatening NY1 reporter Michael Scotto.

(Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimo)

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) could face a possible criminal charge for his confrontation with NY1 reporter Michael Scotto, according to a report.

Fox News said that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of the Columbia is conferring on the matter with law enforcement, a discussion fueled in part by the fact that the incident occurred on federal property. The D.C. statute in question pertains to "threatening to do bodily harm."

A source familiar with the issue told Fox News that Grimm's stature as a lawmaker does not exempt him.

Grimm threatened to throw Scotto from a balcony and said he would break him in half "like a boy" after Scotto looked to ask Grimm about fundraising allegations.

Grimm has apologized and Scotto said he accepted the apology.

A congressional source told Fox News that it doesn't necessarily matter whether Scotto wants to press charges.

Grimm's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Attorney's Office would not confirm the conversations and had no comment as of Thursday morning.

The left-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington group has filed a complaint about Grimm with the Office of Congressional Ethics, which could trigger an investigation of the incident by the House Ethics Committee.

The Ethics Committee has refrained from looking into allegations about Grimm's 2010 fundraising, citing an FBI investigation of the matter.