Rep. Todd Rokita To CNN's Carol Costello: 'You're Beautiful But You Have To Be Honest' (VIDEO)

A debate between Republican congressman Todd Rokita and CNN's Carol Costello about the government shutdown on Thursday took a turn for the worse.

Costello grilled Rokita on his decision to accept his paycheck even as other government employees go without pay during the shutdown. They also argued about his insistence on defunding Obamacare at the cost of shutting down the government.

After several minutes going back and forth, Rokita told Costello, "Carol, you're beautiful but you have to be honest as well."

Costello raised her eyebrows slightly, and ended the segment there.

Politico reported that Rokita's office later issued a statement from the congressman, who said, "At the end of a spirited and very important debate, I was simply keeping it from unnecessarily ending in an unfriendly or contentious way. I intended no offense to Ms. Costello."

Meanwhile, Costello told Politico that she thought "Congressman Rokita was trying to deflect these questions with “flattery,” and called such tactics "inappropriate." Click over to Politico for her full statement.