[UPDATE: Commenter Steve points out that technically, Gianforte has not been arrested yet to our knowledge. Which makes the situation worse for all Republicans as this means Gianforte is a current fugitive from justice and any Republican talking to him or meeting with him today is committing a crime. So there, I made the correction Steve.]
“The Republican candidate for Montana’s congressional seat slammed a Guardian reporter to the floor on the eve of the state’s special election, breaking his glasses and shouting, ‘Get the hell out of here,’” The Guardian reports.
“Ben Jacobs, a Guardian political reporter, was asking Greg Gianforte (R), a tech millionaire running for the seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate allegedly ‘body-slammed’ the reporter.” Said Jacobs: “He took me to the ground. This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in reporting on politics.”
Here is audio of the incident:
Gianforte fled the scene in a staffer’s car with Washington State license plates. His campaign then put out a statement that is an obvious lie given the recording above. This false statement was then debunked by the Fox News crew who was in the room:
Late last night or early this morning, Gianforte “was charged with assaulting a journalist on Wednesday at what was to be a final rally in Bozeman on the eve of the vote,” the New York Times reports.
“Three of the state’s largest newspapers, The Billings Gazette, The Missoulian and The Helena Independent Record, quickly rescinded their endorsements of Mr. Gianforte. But prospects that the altercation could tip the race to the Democrat, Rob Quist, were complicated by Montana’s early-voting tradition: Over half the estimated total ballots in the contest had been returned by Wednesday.”
He could still win, since it is Montana, and since there are some Trumpers who crave violence against all humans, yet alone reporters, who are, according to their President, the enemy of all the people. But then again, Gianforte is not well liked in Montana, as he is correctly labeled a New Jersey Billionaire carpetbagger who lost to the incumbent Democratic Governor last year in the gubernatorial election while Trump was winning the state by 20.
So here is hoping that this will energize Democrats even more and may cause reluctant GOP voters to stay home.
If Gianforte does win, the House should refuse to seat him.
Interesting to say the least, even better caught on tape. Much like Trump Gianforte seems unable to control himself and is violent to boot. As noted don’t be surprised if the macho cowboys in Montana actually approve of this. He’s been charged at this point, let’s see if a lawsuit follows as I suspect it will.
If I were Jacobs, I’d insist on a criminal trial, jail time, and then follow that up with a multimillionaire civil suit. Destroy him.
Was he arrested?
If not, your headline is pathetic, unethical, and fake.
He’s been charged with misdemeanor assault and has to appear in court on June 7th. If convicted, he faces up to a $500 fine, or six months in jail, or both.
Typical. You didn’t answer my question…. Was he arrested?
I’ll ask it another way: Is the headline to this bluedelaware.com story accurate or inaccurate?
Actually, being charged is far worse than being arrested. So DD went easy on him.
Whatever. That is beside the point. I’m not sticking up for this Montana Republican guy. I don’t care.
What I do care about is FAKE HEADLINES FROM BLUEDELAWARE.COM.
The headline says he was arrested, but he hasn’t been arrested! Duh!
You could just be honest with me and say that DD made a mistake or something. At least admit it and change it. Hey, this Montana Republican guy very well may get arrested in the near future. But THE HEADLINE TO THIS STORY IS WAS WRITTEN TO BE MANIPULATIVE. That’s all. Geez, you are so pigheaded.
I read that he was arrested and then released overnight. I will search to see if that is incorrect. He has also been charged with a crime. So if he hasn’t been arrested, then he is a fugitive from justice at this very moment.
Thank you for saying you will look into it, DD.
You are right that he has been charged. We agree! Accuracy feels so good, doesn’t it?!
If/ when he is arrested, guess what? I’ll say that he was arrested! Because I live in the real world! That’s all!
“What I do care about is FAKE HEADLINES FROM BLUEDELAWARE.COM.” – Stephen
What you ought to care about instead is that a Republican politician thinks someone doing his job deserves an assault and battery.
Delacrat – What I ought to care about is up to me. Thanks though. Do you want me to tell you what you ought to care about? That’s just asinine.
I care about assault and battery, period. Duh! I don’t care who does it. IF this guy is proven to have assaulted this reporter, I will condemn it! Duh!
If a Republican assaults someone, I condemn it. If a Democrat assaults someone, I condemn it. If a doctor assaults someone, I condemn it. If a homeless person assault someone, I condemn it. If a Christian assaults someone, I condemn it. If a Jew assaults someone, I condemn it. If anyone assaults anyone, I condemn it.
It’s really quite simple. I cannot believe that I have to spell this out to make it simple enough for you to get.
And of course I care about alleged assaults, like this one, in a general sense. I was in the midst of trying to get an answer as to why the headline was inaccurate. Pandora kept deflecting. I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT her deflections, because I was asking a specific question which she was not answering. Context, my friend, context.
Stop projecting.
Thank you for changing the headline, DD!