Rep. Peter King (R-NY) on Wednesday joked about a confrontation between fellow New York lawmaker Rep. Michael Grimm (R) and a local reporter, whom Grimm physically threatened Tuesday night for asking a question about a federal investigation into his campaign finances.
“I’ve fought with reporters myself, it’s a contact sport. If you can’t take it get out,” he told Buzzfeed. It wasn’t clear if he was referring to the reporter or to Grimm.
Grimm initially wasn’t very contrite, but then contacted NY1 reporter Michael Scotto Wednesday morning to offer an apology as well as a lunch invitation.
But King suggested that by the nature of New York politics, Grimm could be worse off because he apologized for the incident.
“It’s different in New York…I think it’s hurt him if he backs down,” he told Buzzfeed.
Another prominent New Yorker, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), wasn’t so forgiving. De Blasio said the House of Representatives should censure Grimm for his “absolutely inappropriate” behavior.
