Author Topic: ‘I will break you in half,’ Republican Congressman threatens to throw reporter off balcony  (Read 1685 times)

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Online massadvj

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http://news.yahoo.com/-i-will-break-you-in-half---republican-congressmen-threatens-to-throw-reporter-off-balcony-during-interview-053744777.html

‘I will break you in half,’ Republican Congressman threatens to throw reporter off balcony during interview
Eric Pfeiffer By Eric Pfeiffer
 
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."

Grimm, first elected to office in the 2010 midterm elections, was seemingly unapologetic after the interview, issuing a statement carried by the New York Daily News, which reads:

“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 continued, “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."

Capital New York reports that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already begun circulating copies of the video.

NY1 Political Director Bob Hardt issued a statement of his own following the incident, “The NY1 family is certainly alarmed and disappointed by the behavior of Representative Grimm and demands a full apology from him," Hardt said. “This behavior is unacceptable.”

Online massadvj

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I spent six years working as a legislative staffer in Sacramento and I can say unequivocally that politicians are the most despicable group of humans I have ever encountered.  It's rare for them to act this way in front of a camera, but behind closed doors with their staff this is their usual demeanor.  They think they are kings.

Offline xfreeper

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Wait..What.. aren't those threats illegal. Has he been arrested yet?

Offline truth_seeker

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I spent six years working as a legislative staffer in Sacramento and I can say unequivocally that politicians are the most despicable group of humans I have ever encountered.  It's rare for them to act this way in front of a camera, but behind closed doors with their staff this is their usual demeanor.  They think they are kings.
And yet the public at large rushes to almost  deify and worship many of them. Cult of personality-Obama, Palin, etc.

How do reporters compare to politicians?

"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline xfreeper

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And yet the public at large rushes to almost  deify and worship many of them. Cult of personality-Obama, Palin, etc.

How do reporters compare to politicians?

They cater to each other and feed off one another. Both have a much exaggerated opinion of themselves as a result. Meanwhile, the public living in the real world ridicules them and generally despises them

Online mountaineer

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Having been a reporter (and dipped my toes into being a politician), I'm pretty sure that inflated egos are running rampant.
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Offline EC

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Having been a reporter (and dipped my toes into being a politician), I'm pretty sure that inflated egos are running rampant.

I know you said no last time I asked, but you reconsidered? You have name recognition now and no doubt the incumbent has made a few mistakes.
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Not running this year, thankfully. We have a young, energetic candidate in my (tired old) place, and I'll be doing what I can to help him.
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Offline EC

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Not running this year, thankfully. We have a young, energetic candidate in my (tired old) place, and I'll be doing what I can to help him.

Pity - but don't blame you.

Your candidate needs some writing looking over or the odd bit of spin, hit me up. (Yes, it's free).
The universe doesn't hate you. Unless your name is Tsutomu Yamaguchi

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Online massadvj

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How do reporters compare to politicians?

My experience with reporters are that they are, by and large, lazy.  They will always show up at a press conference with an open bar.  They will cozy up to you and pretend to be your friend to coax information, or a good quote, out of you.  And if you fall for it, it's your fault.

Offline collins

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No fan of Grimm (nor the idiot MSM), but I find this hilarious:

Quote
"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."
:silly:

that's just the reporter's account, meaning it may be true or not

Offline Rapunzel

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And yet the public at large rushes to almost  deify and worship many of them. Cult of personality-Obama, Palin, etc.

How do reporters compare to politicians?

and what is your opinion of this article .
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline xfreeper

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No fan of Grimm (nor the idiot MSM), but I find this hilarious:
 :silly:

that's just the reporter's account, meaning it may be true or not

It would be a little difficult to dispute his account since it was captured on audio/video. Even the perp isn't stupid enough to deny the account

Offline collins

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"the perp"? At worst, this was just so RINO going off on some MSM dweeb and I couldn't hear a thing. All I saw was some argument and this is what the article said he said,  they'll lie for one of their own.

Offline Rapunzel

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Someone told Megyn Kelly in the Grimm District in NYS what he did is actually an asset... :silly:
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline LottieDah

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Someone told Megyn Kelly in the Grimm District in NYS what he did is actually an asset... :silly:



I live in Grimm's district and he is an asset. He trounced the 'rat candidate who ran against him last time.  As an aside the Democrats had the temerity to run the son of the famed Abscam congressman against him.  That was a hoot.  Even the liberal a-holes that are moving to Staten Island voted for Grimm.

Offline aligncare

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Grimm called Mike Scotto this morning and apologized. They even arranged to go to dinner. Talk radio was full of the story today.

In all the discussion I learned it depends on how you say it that determines whether a threat is a criminal offense. If you say, for instance, "if you do that again I'll throw you off the balcony," that's conditional, and normally wouldn't land you in trouble. However, if you say, "I am going to throw you off the balcony," Scotto could've have had him arrested, if he so chose.

Lottie, I live in Staten Island, too. Staten Islander's are disgusting morons and would like to throw most of them off a balcony. How's that for a threat?

Offline truth_seeker

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and what is your opinion of this article .
Generally pretty poor opinion of both.

There truly should be a special place for those who claim to represent high moral values, those self-righteous sanctimonious hypocrites like:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G._Schmitz
"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln