Congressman threatens to kill reporter

[haymarket]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0

And on Tuesday night, Mr. Grimm became enraged after the reporter, Michael Scotto of NY1, asked him about the investigation. His threats inside the United States Capitol were captured on video that quickly rocketed around the Internet.
Mr. Grimm became upset and stormed off when Mr. Scotto raised the subject of the investigation into his campaign finances, but he then charged back and laced into Mr. Scotto.
Although Mr. Scotto had finished the segment, the camera continued to roll and Mr. Grimm can be seen getting directly in the face of an obviously stunned Mr. Scotto.
“What?” Mr. Scotto said. Before he could explain that he was just trying to ask him a question, Mr. Grimm became unhinged.
“Let me be clear to you,” he said in a low voice, before using a profanity and warning that he would hurl Mr. Scotto from the balcony.
There is some cross talk between the two men which was not audible on the video before Mr. Grimm concluded with an insult and another threat.
“No, no, you’re not man enough, you’re not man enough,” he said. “I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.”

Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

 

[Diving Mullah]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0



Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

As the Queen said...Another Republican Bites the dust!

So nice to have these people running (ehmmm..Ruining ) the country!

Diving Mullah

 

[DA60]

What...only one?

 

[humbolt]

According to the Dept. of Labor, there are at least 30,000 "journalists" working full time in the U.S. We could lose one and probably be okay.

 

[Sherman123]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0



Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

1. I have no idea.
2. None. This is hilarious and if people are offended they can register their discontent at the polls.

 

[joG]

1. I have no idea.
2. None. This is hilarious and if people are offended they can register their discontent at the polls.

I would tend to the same conclusion. having said that threats of violence are really not very good arguments, except where the situation requires it. A reporter in Congress asking questions does not sound like such circumstances.

 

[Sherman123]

I would tend to the same conclusion. having said that threats of violence are really not very good arguments, except where the situation requires it. A reporter in Congress asking questions does not sound like such circumstances.

Who cares if they are good for arguments? We've become so skittish and brittle. It's refreshing to hear a politician sound like a human being. Let them threaten, swear, cajole, whatever if the voters have a problem with it that's their issue.

 

[WCH]

Those who have never wanted to toss a journalist off a balcony, cast the first stone.

 

[haymarket]

Who cares if they are good for arguments? We've become so skittish and brittle. It's refreshing to hear a politician sound like a human being. Let them threaten, swear, cajole, whatever if the voters have a problem with it that's their issue.

Threatening to kill another human being performing a legal job in the nations capitol is "refreshing"?

On what what imaginary world underneath the bottom of the barrel is the threat of murder seen as a good thing?

 

[Sherman123]

Threatening to kill another human being performing a legal job in the nations capitol is "refreshing"?

On what what imaginary world underneath the bottom of the barrel is the threat of murder seen as a good thing?

In a world where I'm not an infant and I expect human beings to behave like human beings not canned smiles and lines for a camera or busy pen. Also since I'm not an infant I'm confident that he wasn't planning to murder said reporter and was instead expressing that human emotion called anger. If this seriously offended you I'd say you need to grow up just a tad.

 

[TheNextEra]

Who cares if they are good for arguments? We've become so skittish and brittle. It's refreshing to hear a politician sound like a human being. Let them threaten, swear, cajole, whatever if the voters have a problem with it that's their issue.

There is also professionalism as well which this politician did not show in his comments and the professionalism of the reporter as well in asking questions he knew agreed he wouldn't ask to get the politician to come on the air.

A job of a journalist is to find out information, however, in this instance the politician and the reporter both agreed that for him to be interviewed the ethics questions were to be off the table. The reporter agreed. Then the reporter went back on their word.

Both were unprofessional IMO.

Do I think the politician wanted to kick the reporters ass? Yes. Do I think he would? No. Sometimes comments are just talk.

 

[Goshin]

If he'd actually broken him in half and thrown him off the balcony, THEN that would be news.

 

[haymarket]

In a world where I'm not an infant and I expect human beings to behave like human beings not canned smiles and lines for a camera or busy pen. Also since I'm not an infant I'm confident that he wasn't planning to murder said reporter and was instead expressing that human emotion called anger. If this seriously offended you I'd say you need to grow up just a tad.

Apparently you have a far different standard for civilized behavior by one of the elected representatives of the American people than I do.

That is sad.

 

[Sherman123]

Apparently you have a far different standard for civilized behavior by one of the elected representatives of the American people than I do.

That is sad.

Yep. I don't expect them to be marble men. This notion is a really recent late 20th Century phenomena and I think it's been damaging to our democracy. It ensures that only the most careful and the most staid ride into office. This Congressman is probably a jerk but I'm happy to see spontaneity of emotion, so long as he doesn't actually murder the reporter I really don't care. What happens to him is up to his district, and that is the only censure that matters in this case.

 

[sangha]

In a world where I'm not an infant and I expect human beings to behave like human beings not canned smiles and lines for a camera or busy pen. Also since I'm not an infant I'm confident that he wasn't planning to murder said reporter and was instead expressing that human emotion called anger. If this seriously offended you I'd say you need to grow up just a tad.

If you expect humans will never make canned smiles and lines for a camera or pen, then you're not as mature as you seem to think you are.

 

[Sherman123]

If you expect humans will never make canned smiles and lines for a camera or pen, then you're not as mature as you seem to think you are.

Is that what you really took away from that?

 

[Verax]

What he did was criminal and he should be prosecuted as such. If you can't control yourself then find another job that doesn't demand such stressful situations. We don't need somebody like this in a position of power.

If you were an average citizen and you were caught saying this to an elected official you would be on your way to jail, why should he be any different?

 

[sangha]

Is that what you really took away from that?

No

I took a whole lot more from that

For example, I took that you think it's perfectly acceptable adult behavior to react with criminal threats of violence when someone asks an uncomfortable question.

 

[haymarket]

Yep. I don't expect them to be marble men. This notion is a really recent late 20th Century phenomena and I think it's been damaging to our democracy. It ensures that only the most careful and the most staid ride into office. This Congressman is probably a jerk but I'm happy to see spontaneity of emotion, so long as he doesn't actually murder the reporter I really don't care. What happens to him is up to his district, and that is the only censure that matters in this case.

And do you honestly think that if this Congressman had been a member of the other party that is different that the party that controls the chamber that this cavalier attitude would still be the order of the day?

 

[NoC_T]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0



Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

:lol:

1) We can only guess. It was rather an odd thing to say.

2) How about a medal? I hate the media.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0



Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

depending on the context, could be a simple heated exchange, and seems like a complete non-issue to any questions about campaign funding

PS calling it a death threat seems way over hyped

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Who cares if they are good for arguments? We've become so skittish and brittle. It's refreshing to hear a politician sound like a human being. Let them threaten, swear, cajole, whatever if the voters have a problem with it that's their issue.

Yeah, when I was reading "death threat" I was expecting something akin to "do you want a pair of cement shoes"?

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

If he'd actually broken him in half and thrown him off the balcony, THEN that would be news.

actually be kinda bad-ass, too.

 

[Jack Hays]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm-threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0



Several questions come to mind.
1- how many boys has the Congressman broken in half?
2- what should be the punishment administered by the House to a member who threatens to violently harm a reporter doing his job in the Capirol which could result in the death of that reporter?

I wish I had the chance to vote for that Congressman.eace

 

[humbolt]

Jesse Jackson threatened Obama: US election 2008: 'I want to cut his nuts out' - Jackson gaffe turns focus on Obama's move to the right | World news | The Guardian

Of course, he didn't follow through because he discovered Obama didn't have any after all.