New York Republican Rep. Michael Grimm threatened a TV reporter by saying he would “break” a NY1 reporter and throw him off a balcony after President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night.
This followed after the reporter asked a question about the President’s speech by pressing the congressman on a federal investigation into his illegal fund-raising activities.
“Congressman Michael Grimm does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his campaign finances … but as you saw he refused to talk about that,” Scotto said as Grimm began to walk away. Grim then turned back and verbally and physically threatened the reporter.
“Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I’ll throw you off this f—–g balcony,” Grimm said.
“Why, why, I just wanted to ask you?” Scotto responded.
“If you ever do that to me again,” the Staten Island congressman shot back.
The shocking display was subsequently caught on camera and has headlined almost every major news network in America.
Rep. Grimm serves on the House Committee on Financial Services. I am a member of the the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, the Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, according to his website.
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations conducts oversight of the agencies, departments, and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
The Subcommittee also conducts investigations on any matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee, and evaluates the need for any legislative changes to the laws and programs within this jurisdiction.
Congressman Grimm’s office refused comment on the situation and a staff member at his Congressional office in Washington D.C. hung the phone up on my ear when I asked about it on January 30, 2014.
In researching this story we found out the laws in Washington D.C. dealing with “verbal threats”.
There are two forms of the criminal offense of “threats” in Washington, D.C.: (1) threats to do bodily injury, and (2) threats to kidnap or injure a person or damage his property.
“Threats to do bodily injury” is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to 6 months in prison and/or maximum fine of $500. In order to secure a conviction for this offense, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) the defendant uttered words to another person, (2) the words were of such a nature to cause the “ordinary hearer” reasonably to believe that the threatened harm would take place, and (3) the defendant intended to utter the words as a threat.. Crimes Code § 22-407.
Threats as a felony offense requires the government to prove that (1) the defendant uttered words to another person, (2) the words were of such a nature to put a reasonable person in fear of being kidnapped or seriously injured or of hastening his property damaged, and (3) the defendant intended to utter the words as a threat. This offense is punishable by imprisonment of up to 20 years and a $5000 fine. D.C. Crimes Code § 22-1810 (source: http://koehlerlaw.net/assault-theft/threats/).
Unfortunately the law doesn’t appear to apply to members of Congress and/or the reporter in this case has failed to report the threat by Congressman Grimm to police – or both.