NY1 reporter Michael Scotto appeared shaken up but responsive during an interview on MSNBC Wednesday morning after Congressman Michael Grimm cornered the young journalist and profanely threatened to toss him “off this f*****g balcony” and break him in half “like a boy.”
Scotto acknowledged he was shocked by Grimm’s aggressive behavior on Tuesday night. Grimm lunged at the reporter following a question over a brewing fundraising scandal.
“I was taken aback. I have never, you know, I’m used to people giving me pushback for questions but I was not used to something like that,” Scotto responded, clearly distressed from the situation.
“He basically came over to me, as you saw, and said that if I ever do something like that again he would throw me from the balcony and he continued to criticize, saying I really shouldn’t have asked that question without giving him notice and that he had only really agreed to talk about the State of the Union address.”
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“He seemed angrier than I have ever seen a politician talk to a reporter about a question that he or she didn’t like,” Scotto explained. “But he did not touch me.”
“Hey, are you going to take this further?” Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski interjected. “It seems almost actionable.”
“It is sort of actionable,” Joe Scarborough admitted.
“No, I’m going to leave it as is,” Scotto replied. “I think the tape speaks for itself.”
Following the altercation, Grimm defended his actions.
“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,” Grimm said.
Watch Scotto’s interview below: