Neal was the butt of jokes at the state capitol today. One lawmaker said they were directing that the pay that hadn't earned during the special session be directed to the "Gerald Neal defense fund." As reported in an earlier posting, a Fox 41 reporter asked Neal his reaction to being sued by the federal government for failing to repay a federal loan. Neal responded "you know you're a beautiful girl" then pinched the female reporter's nose. WDRB's news director asked Neal for an apology. Neal told me he'd already called the reporter to apologize the morning after the interview saying "she deserved that" apology.