Sen. Harry Reid shows off black eye in first appearance since second exercise accident

• Harry Reid steps out with his shockingly bruised face and covered injured eye for the first time since breaking ribs and facial bones at home
• His staff says a piece of equipment fell and struck him while he exercised
• Reid is back in Washington but won't be back on the floor of the Congress just yet
• Instead, he's been taking meetings with senior congressional staffers at home

By MailOnline Reporter

Published: 23:28 EST, 6 January 2015 | Updated: 04:37 EST, 7 January 2015

Sen. Harry Reid is back — and he's not hiding his black eye.

The Democrat broke several ribs and facial bones after falling to the ground when when a piece of exercise equipment snapped at his Nevada home on New Year's Day.

Reid now has made his first appearance, joking about his shockingly bandaged up right eye and discussing the opening of Congress' current session.

'Most people know I fought [boxed] for a couple of years,' Reid said. 'After any one of those fights, I never looked like I do now.'

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Sen. Harry Reid, who broke several facial bones, jokes that he never looked as badly in all his years boxing as he does now after a freak exercise accident

The senator then jokes that his black eye didn't come from boxer Manny Pacquiao, bull riding or riding a motorcycle.

'I was exercising in my new home,' he says in the video. 'The doctors have told me I'd better take it easy.'

Since his injury, Reid has been taking meetings at home or only with senior members of Congress.

His staff said he broke several ribs and facial bone.

Reid's office said the 75-year-old senator was hospitalized overnight at University Medical Center in Las Vegas as a precaution and was released on Friday.

A recovering Harry Reid meets with members of his leadership team at home, before he returns to Congress

His security detail had initially taken Reid to St. Rose Dominican Hospital near his home in Henderson, Nevada.

The accident happened when an elastic exercise band broke, striking Reid in the face and causing him to fall, said spokesman Adam Jentleson.

Reid struck some equipment as he fell, breaking multiple bones near his right eye.