In a statement shortly after the incident, the lawmaker didn’t deny that it happened. | JAY WESTCOTT/POLITICO Grimm clashes with reporter

New York Rep. Michael Grimm was accused of physically and verbally threatening a reporter in the U.S. Capitol following President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.

In an interview with NY1 reporter Michael Scotto, the Staten Island Republican was asked about allegations regarding a campaign finance probe at which he has been the center since 2012.


“I’m not talking about anything that’s off-topic, this is only about the president,” Grimm said before walking off camera, according to a transcript provided by NY1, which posted a video of the exchange on its website.

( WATCH: Rep. Grimm's threat)

Grimm returned moments later and leaned into Scotto in what appeared to be an angry exchange that partially took place off camera. According to the transcript provided by NY1, Grimm said to Scotto, “Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I’ll throw you off this f——-g balcony.”

Scotto defended his line of questioning several times, according to the transcript, at one point saying: “It’s a valid question.”

Grimm then said, according to the transcript, “No, no, you’re not man enough, you’re not man enough. I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.”

( Also on POLITICO: Journalists, pundits lampoon Michael Grimm)

In a statement shortly after the incident, the lawmaker didn’t deny that it happened.

“I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests. The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic,” Grimm said in the statement.

“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 sure I won’t be the last.

Scotto, who covers Capitol Hill for the New York-based news channel, referred a request for comment to NY1 Political Director Robert Hardt.

“It is extremely disturbing when anyone threatens one of our reporters – let alone a U.S. congressman,” Hardt told POLITICO in an email. “The NY1 family is extremely alarmed and disappointed by the behavior of Representative Grimm and demands a full apology from him. The behavior is unacceptable.”

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.