GOP Congressional Candidate Greg Gianforte got extremely violent with Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. The audio speaks for itself.
Congressional Candidate Greg Gianforte (R-MT) body slams Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs
Montana GOP Congressional Candidate Greg Gianforte bodyslammed the Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs for asking about the CBO assessment of Trumpcare. I characterized this act as another Trump effect incident. Gianforte is taking Trump’s disdain for the media to the next level, violence.
Jacobs was following the Republican candidate in Bozeman Montana where he attempted to ask him about his thoughts on the CBO report of Trumpcare. The encounter did not go well.
“The CBO score,” Jacobs started asking GOP Candidate. “You know you’ve been waiting to make your decision about healthcare until you saw the bill that just came out.”
“I’ll talk to you about that later,” Gianforte replied.
“Yes, but do you snap at me,” Jacobs persisted. “I am just curious about ….”
“Speak with Shane, please,” Gianforte replied.
Then all hell broke loose. On can hear a loud commotion sounding like pushing and shoving.
“I am sick and tired of you guys,” Gionforte shouted with a loud voice. “The last guy who came in here, you did the same thing. Get to hell out of here.”
As Gianforte is shouting, one can hear Jacobs struggling.
“Get to hell out of here,” Gianforte repeated. “The last guy did the same thing. Are you with the Guardian?”
“Yes,” Jacobs replied.
“Yes,” Jacobs replied. “And you just broke my glasses.”
“The last guy did the same damn thing,” Gianforte continued.
“You just body slammed me,” Jacobs said. “And broke my glasses.”
“Get to hell out of here,” Gianforte repeated.
“You’d like me to get to hell out of here,” Jacobs said. “I would like to call the police. Can I get you guys’ names? He just body slammed me.”
The CBO released its report on Trumpcare today. It is as draconian as everyone believed it would be. It is clear that many Republicans want to stay as far away from Trumpcare as they can.
Greg Gianforte is running against Democratic congressional candidate Rob Quist. According to the LA Times,
Gianforte has embraced the president, something he failed to do in 2016 as a candidate for governor, and has campaigned alongside Vice President Mike Pence, and twice with Trump’s son Donald Jr. “We have someone in office who’s doing exactly what he said he was going to do,” Gianforte told Montana Public Radio.
In the final hours of the race, Trump and Pence were both heard on robocalls urging Republicans to the polls. …
Montana’s House seat was vacated when two-term Rep. Ryan Zinke left to run the Interior Department. The election was set for Thursday — unusual timing just ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, which has both sides apprehensive — because Bullock wanted to fill the seat as soon as possible.
UPDATE 1: The Gianforte campaign has released a statement about this incident.
UPDATE 2: A Fox News reporter refuted the Gianforte campaign’s statement.