Candidates, don’t do this

On the eve of a special election (literally; Montana votes tomorrow) the last thing a candidate for office should do is assault a reporter. Apparently the reporter had the temerity to ask Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate for the House seat vacated by newly-elevated-to-Secretary-of-the-Interior Zinke, just how he felt about the Republican plan to replace “Obamacare” now that the Congressional Budget Office had scored it. Gianforte took exception and body-slammed the reporter, the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs, to the ground and began punching him. A Fox News camera crew and reporter were in the room and gave this account:

Faith, Keith and I arrived early to set up for the interview in a room adjacent to another room where a volunteer BBQ was to take place. As the time for the interview neared, Gianforte came into the room. We exchanged pleasantries and made small talk about restaurants and Bozeman.

During that conversation, another man — who we now know is Ben Jacobs of The Guardian — walked into the room with a voice recorder, put it up to Gianforte’s face and began asking if he had a response to the newly released Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act. Gianforte told him he would get to him later. Jacobs persisted with his question. Gianforte told him to talk to his press guy, Shane Scanlon.

At that point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the reporter. As Gianforte moved on top of Jacobs, he began yelling something to the effect of, “I’m sick and tired of this!”

The Fox crew went on to say that at no point had Jacobs been aggressive toward Gianforte.

Two Montana papers, The Billings Gazette and The Missoulian immediately pulled their previous endorsements of Gianforte for the House office.

If you’re Rob Quist, the Democrat in the race, you’re hoping this is enough to pull some Republican support away from your opponent, but you also are aware that half of Montana’s voters may have already sent in their ballots in early voting. All you can do is hope the publicity from this very ugly incident is widespread.