U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, who is facing a 20-count indictment over alleged campaign finance violations, told POLITICO that the press has "vilified" him from the start.
"There's no question: I've been vilified by the press since the day I got here," Grimm said in the interview, published on Wednesday. "From the very beginning they had to figure out how to get rid of this guy."
The two-term New York Republican plans on winning re-election despite being unable to raise money. Additionally, House Speaker John Boehner would not endorse him and he was prohibited from a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser.
Prior to his indictment, Grimm made headlines for threatening television report Michael Scotto after he asked about the probe into his campaign finances.
"I'll break you in half," Grimm said to Scotto. "Like a boy."
Grimm told POLITICO that he regretted the incident but criticized the way the press handled the matter.
"I just felt it was another cheap shot," he explained. "The way I look at it is, people say, 'Well he doesn't want to talk about this.' The issues out there that are effecting my constituents are so much bigger than the nonsense that so many reporters want to talk about."
The congressman also said New Yorkers are "behind me now more than ever, because I get results."
"And yet the press focuses on the most ridiculous nonsense that I can dream about. Look, I'll sum it up. What do I think of the press? I think, right now, and it's been this way for two years: If I pass a burning building, and I stop and I run in and I save a baby, you know what the headline will be? 'Grimm starts the fire.' That's just the reality," Grimm said.
