By, Ashley Killough (CNN)
After first defending his actions, Rep. Michael Grimm, R-New York, apologized Wednesday for physically threatening a NY1 News reporter at the Capitol.
“I apologized. I called (the reporter) Michael Scotto up. He was very gracious in accepting my apology. We’re going to have lunch sometime next week and make sure this is all behind us,” Grimm told reporters in Washington.
“This was an unfortunate incident that shouldn’t have happened. I’m sure my Italian mother is going to be yelling at me, saying ‘you weren’t raised that way’ and she’s right,” he added
Scotto confirmed that he spoke with Grimm.
It all started when the congressman, who’s under investigationby the Justice Department for illegal fundraising during his 2010 campaign, walked away from an on-camera interview Tuesday night after the State of the Union address. Grimm stormed off when Scotto tried to ask him a question at the end about the campaign finance allegations.
“Alright, so Congressman Michael Grimm does not want to talk about the allegations concerning his campaign finances,” Scotto said. “We wanted to get him on camera on that, but he, as you saw, refused to talk about that. Back to you.”
With the camera still rolling, Grimm surged toward the reporter, who appeared visibly surprised.
The second-term congressman, who’s also a former Marine and former FBI agent, spoke aggressively to Scotto for about 20 seconds.
NY1, a CNN affiliate, broadcast the confrontation late Tuesday night, though it bleeped out the obscenities.
“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, as they were standing on the third floor of the rotunda in the Cannon House building.
Scotto replied that he was just trying to ask “a valid question.”
To see Grimm in action…and to read more, click here.