STATEN ISLAND — Disgraced congressman Michael Grimm spent his time behind bars working out and has started writing a memoir.
In his first interview since being released from a federal prison last month, the Republican who represented Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn told NY1 that he hasn't ruled out a return to politics and is considering getting involved in work to reform the country's prison system.
Grimm said he passed time in prison reading books, working out and writing letters to family, friends and more than 500 Staten Islanders who wrote to him while he was behind bars.
He likened his release to his return home from serving in the Marines.
"It's been very challenging, to say the least. I wouldn't wish it on my enemies, but it's over," Grimm told NY1. "I'm really glad to be putting it past me."
Last year, he was sentenced to eight months in prison — with a year probation and 20 hours of community service. He started his sentence in September 2015 at the medium security FCI McKean in Pennsylvania.
Grimm told NY1 that he was released on April 27 under the condition that he serves the last three-weeks of his sentence at home. He is allowed to leave with an ankle monitor with permission from his parole officer.
