Grimm apologizes for threatening reporter

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) apologized Wednesday to the NY1 News reporter he physically threatened after the State of the Union address.

“I was wrong. I shouldn’t have allowed my emotions to get the better of me and lose my cool. I have apologized to Michael Scotto, which he graciously accepted, and will be scheduling a lunch soon,” Grimm said in a statement.

Scotto confirmed on Twitter that he accepted Grimm’s apology.

@repmichaelgrimm called to apologize. He said he “overreacted.” I accepted his apology.

— Michael Scotto (@mikescotto) January 29, 2014

Grimm reiterated his apology to reporters at the Capitol.

“Bottom line is that sometimes, I wear my emotions on my sleeve. And that’s why I apologized to him. Look, I’m passionate. My constituents know that; I’m sure my Italian mother will be yelling at me saying, ‘I didn’t raise you that way,’ and she’s right,” Grimm said.

Grimm’s altercation with Scotto made national news, in part because it happened on camera, and in part because it took place after the State of the Union address, and with hundreds of reporters interviewing members at the Capitol.

Grimm became upset after Scotto asked him to comment on new revelations that have surfaced in the ethics investigation into his campaign finances. The two had already discussed the State of the Union address.

Grimm said he would not talk about other subjects and walked away. Scotto then said on camera that Grimm had refused to respond to the latest allegations.

With the camera still rolling, Grimm returned and aggressively confronted Scotto.

“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 to Scotto.

Scotto replied that he had asked a “valid question,” but the congressman said “I’ll break you in half.”

In a statement released on Tuesday night, Grimm said he was “extremely annoyed” with Scotto because he was in a rush and Scotto “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 was asked by NBC News on Wednesday if he had been drinking Tuesday night.

“No, that’s silly,” Grimm laughed in response to reporter Kelly O’Donnell, who then asked Grimm if he would answer questions concerning his possible ethics violations.

“I think I’ve done that over the last two years, and when they’re done with their investigation, that’s where we’ll be,” Grimm said.

Scotto said on CNN’s “New Day” on Wednesday he was “surprised” by Grimm’s behavior but didn’t take his threats seriously.

“I don’t believe the substance of the threat at all. I’m not taking it personally. I just think he was angry by the fact that I asked that question, and I think he was even more angry by the fact that I kind of explained to viewers why he was not going to answer that question.”

Grimm said in his apology on Wednesday that he’ll move past this incident.

“In the weeks and months ahead, I’ll be working hard for my constituents on issues like flood insurance that is so desperately needed in my district post Sandy.”

One House Republican at the Capitol was overheard on Wednesday saying, “He’s from Staten Island. This won’t hurt him. They had Vito [Fossella].”

Fossella is a former House Republican lawmaker from New York, who was arrested in 2008 for driving while intoxicated. Those charges led to the disclosure he had an affair with an Air Force official. He served out the rest of his term in Congress, but did not run for reelection.

— Jasmine Sachar contributed.

— This story was updated at 12:52 p.m.