A recent meeting between a freshman Republican congressman from California and his constituents took an unexpected turn when Rep Steve Knight was caught on camera threatening an anti-immigration protester with violence. Knight, 48, a former Los Angeles police officer who was elected to represent the 25th Congressional District last year, was hosting an open house event at his Simi Valley office last Friday when he was accosted by a group of activists rallying against amnesty for undocumented immigrants. The heated exchange between Knight and the group of protesters carrying anti-immigration signs was captured on video and later uploaded onto YouTube by a right-wing group called We The People Rising. Ambush: Rep Steve Knight (left) was accosted by activists rallying against amnesty for illegal immigrants outside his Simi Valley, California, office during an open house last Friday . Crossing a line: A man named 'Mike' (right) accused Knight of lying about his voting record and patted him on the back after a prolonged handshake . Tempers flare: Knight, a former LAPD officer, went after Mike, telling him, 'If you touch me again, I'll drop your a**' Defense: Knight went on to explain to the activists that he never voted in support of ‘amnesty’ for immigrants . In the 2-minute clip, Knight is approached by a man who introduces himself as 'Mike' and proceeds to shake the lawmaker's hand at lenght. During the awkward encounter, Mike informs Knight: 'You told me you didn't vote for amnesty and you did. I looked it up on the Internet. You lied to me.' Voting record: Knight was one of 75 House Republicans who voted to pass a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security after it had been stripped off provisions blocking Obama's immigration reform . The protester then gives Knight a pat on the back and tries to walk away, but the lawmaker calls after him, grasps his upper arm and says: 'If you touch me again, I'll drop your a**.' Following the foul-mouthed remark, the former cop-turned-lawmaker goes on to explain to the activists that he never voted in support of ‘amnesty’ for immigrants, saying there were several versions of the same bill, known as HB 240, and he voted for the one that did not have the provisions supporting President Obama’s immigration reform. The bill that sparked the verbal spat outside Knight’s office was the subject of a protracted legislative tug-of-war between Democrats and Republicans in Congress two months ago. Right-wing lawmakers originally had inserted amendments into a bill providing nearly $40million in funding for the Department of Homeland Security to block President Obama's immigration reforms. After Senate Democrats successfully blocked the bill, 75 House Republicans, including Knight, gave in to prevent a shutdown and passed a ‘clean’ bill stripped off all provisions seeking to obstruct Obama’s executive orders on immigration, and thus lifting the threat of deportation against millions of undocumented immigrants. In the videotaped conversation with the protesters Friday, Knight insisted he never voted to support Obama's immigration reform. Knight, a US Army veteran, was elected to the US House of Representatives last November . House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio administers a ceremonial re-enactment of the House oath-of-office to Rep.  Steve Knight R-Calif., accompanied by his his wife Lily Knight and family, January 6, 2015, on Capitol Hill . ‘I never voted for amnesty. Never, ever,’ he said. Knight, a US Army veteran and married father of two, spent 18 years on the LAPD force before being elected to the California State Assembly in 2008. Two years later, he became a state senator and in 2014 was elected to the US House of Representatives. Following the release of the video, Knight put out a statement Tuesday apologizing for his conduct. ‘I have dealt with this group on several occasions and every time they try to escalate our conversations to a level that is not constructive,’ Knight said. ‘Over this past weekend, I lost my cool and I regret responding the way I did.’ The group that staged Friday’s protest, Save Our State, has been accused of having ties to white supremacists, reported Politico. In 2010, Save Our State organized a demonstration in California during which a local city councilman sparked an outrage by referring to himself as a ‘proud racist.’ Mea culpa: Following the release of the video, Knight (pictured with his wife and two sons) put out a statement Tuesday apologizing for his conduct .
Rep Steve Knight representing 25th Congressional District in California was confronted by activists from right-wing group Friday . Protesters accused Knight of voting for immigrant 'amnesty' during congressional battle over Homeland Security funding bill . Knight was one of 75 House Republicans who eventually voted on 'clean' funding bill devoid of provisions blocking Obama's immigration reform . Save Our State group that accosted Knight has been linked to white supremacists .