Rep. Bob Filner broke his ten-day silence today after having been charged with a misdemeanor assault and battery charge at Dulles International Airport, which serves Washington, DC.

Police say he “pushed aside the employee’s outstretched arm and refused to leave the area when asked by an airline employee.”

“I was tired after a delayed flight and frustrated by the subsequent further delay of the entire flight’s baggage,” Filner said. “But I did not want things to turn out as they did, with offense obviously taken and much misunderstanding. This is an episode that I regret and hope to move beyond.”

He told the San Diego Union Tribune that the airlines are driving him pretty crazy lately.

“You’ve got a group of people who think you’re misusing your position as a congressman and you’ve got a group of people who understand the airlines are so (pause) — so dismissive of their customers that we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.”

Sen. Larry Craig, also hates airports a lot right now (specifically, airport bathrooms), but Filner’s case is a little different: He’s fighting for us not to get screwed.