Might we suggest that the Bush White House had some inside information that Mike Wallace is Al Qaeda…
New York- City officials yesterday were investigating the bizarre disorderly-conduct bust of “60 Minutes” legend Mike Wallace – as the still-scrappy 86-year-old newsman blasted one of the arresting peace officers as “over-the-top angry” and in need of “therapy.”
Wallace was hauled off to a police station house in handcuffs around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday after he allegedly lunged at a Taxi and Limousine Commission inspector during a parking squabble outside an Upper East Side eatery.
“One of [the officers] was a hostile, nasty, aggressive, shouting man – over-the-top angry,” Wallace said yesterday.
“This one officer could obviously use some therapy,” the famed newsman told “Entertainment Tonight.”
Witnesses said Wallace never lunged at the peace officer – and that the octogenarian was instead “manhandled” by the overzealous inspector and his partner.
Peace officers typically don’t carry guns but have the authority to enforce the law.
Even Mayor Bloomberg questioned the inspectors’ bust of Wallace.
“Why a man in his 80s was so threatening that they had to arrest him when they normally don’t arrest anybody certainly gives you cause to ask the question,” Bloomberg said.
“Why he’d have to be handcuffed and led away . . . you can rest assured we will be looking into it,” the mayor said.
TLC officials confirmed they have launched a probe into the incident.
The drama unfolded after Wallace picked up a takeout order of meatloaf from Luke’s on Third Avenue and East 79th Street and then came out to find the TLC inspectors questioning his driver, who was double-parked.
Wallace got into his chauffeured car and waited as the inspectors continued to grill the driver.
Moments later, Wallace, anxious to get home and eat his meatloaf and mashed potatoes – one of his favorite meals – got out to see if he could expedite the process.
Wallace said he was in no way rude or confrontational to the officers.
But the inspectors told a different story, saying Wallace became “overly assertive and disrespectful,” interfering with their ability to perform their duties.
The peace officers said they arrested Wallace after he lunged at one of them. He was taken in cuffs to the 19th Precinct station house.
Wallace yesterday laughed off the allegation that he “lunged” at the officers.
“I find it difficult to lunge into bed, let alone lunge at a couple of cops who are angry,” he said, chuckling.
Wallace said even cops at the station house “apologized” to him, with one of them saying that the peace officers “have nothing to do with us.”
Wallace said that despite the dust-up, he was still able to enjoy his dinner.
“I put it in the microwave when I got home, and it was superb,” he said.