The candidate for Montana’s congressional seat has been charged with assault after he allegedly slammed a reporter to the floor while shouting “get the hell out of here”.

In a bizarre series of events Greg Gianforte, a wealthy software entrepreneur, erupted under questioning and attacked the Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.

Sheriff Brian Gootkin said in a statement: “Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses, Jacobs tweeted, as he reported the incident—witnessed by three Fox News journalists—to police.

“Following multiple interviews and an investigation by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, it was determined there was probable cause to issue a citation to Greg Gianforte for misdemeanour assault.” </s> Montana congressman-elect Greg Gianforte, who was charged with a misdemeanor after allegedly slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs to the ground for asking a question, has apologized to the reporter and announced a donation to the Committee to Protect Journalists. </s> HELENA, Mont. – U.S. Rep.-elect Greg Gianforte of Montana says in an apology letter that he “had no right to assault” a reporter.

Gianforte’s letter to reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian dated Wednesday is part of a settlement with Jacobs in which the reporter agrees not to object to Gianforte entering a plea of “no contest” to a misdemeanour assault charge.

The Republican will contribute $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists as part of the settlement agreement.

Jacobs says he hopes the episode will reinforce respect for freedom of the press and encourage more civil discourse.

Jacobs previously said he was “body slammed” by Gianforte on the day before the May 25 special congressional election in Montana when the reporter tried to ask him a question.

Gianforte won the election and was charged with misdemeanour assault. </s> Story highlights Gianforte pledges $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists

He sent Guardian reporter an apology letter Wednesday

(CNN) Greg Gianforte, the Montana congressman-elect who is accused of "body slamming" a Guardian reporter, sent a letter of apology and will plead no contest to the misdemeanor assault charge, according to documents.

Gianforte also pledged to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that promotes press freedom, as part of a settlement with the journalist, Ben Jacobs, "in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events."

The events referred to an encounter on May 24, when Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault after Jacobs accused the politician of "body slamming" him at a campaign event.

Gianforte, a Republican, won the election the next day and apologized to the reporter during his acceptance speech.

On Wednesday, he issued a letter to Jacobs.

Read More </s> Greg Gianforte, the Montana Republican elected last month to the state's open House seat following a physical brawl with journalist Ben Jacobs, has apologized over the incident and pledged to give $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

"I write to express my sincere apology for my conduct on the evening of May 24," Gianforte wrote in an email to Jacobs, a reporter for the Guardian, which first reported on Gianforte's attempt to reconcile. He was alleged to have "body-slammed" Jacobs and broken his glasses after being asked about his stance on healthcare .

"My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful," he wrote, adding that his interaction with Jacobs didn't meet the "high standard" someone in his position should be held to.

"Notwithstanding anyone's statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you," Gianforte continued. "I take full responsibility."

The Congressman-elect added in his apology that his donation to CPJ comes "in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events."

Jacobs said in a statement that he fully accepted Gianforte's apology, the Guardian reports. “I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the first amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country,” Jacobs said.

Gianforte currently faces a misdemeanor assault charge over the incident. </s> Greg Gianforte, the Montana congressman-elect who is accused of “body slamming” a Guardian reporter, sent a letter of apology and will plead no contest to the misdemeanor assault charge, according to documents.

Gianforte also pledged to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that promotes press freedom, as part of a settlement with the journalist, Ben Jacobs, “in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events.”

The events referred to an encounter on May 24, when Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault after Jacobs accused the politician of “body slamming” him at a campaign event.

Gianforte, a Republican, won the election the next day and apologized to the reporter during his acceptance speech.

On Wednesday, he issued a letter to Jacobs.

“My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful. As both a candidate for Office and a public official, I should be held to a high standard in my interactions with the press and the public. My treatment of you did not meet that standard.”

“I made a mistake and humbly ask for your forgiveness,” the letter stated.

“I have accepted Mr. Gianforte’s apology and his willingness to take responsibility for his actions and statements,” he said in a statement. “I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the First Amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country.”

Gianforte is scheduled to appear in a Montana court on June 20, to face the misdemeanor assault charge.

During their encounter at Gianforte’s campaign headquarters in Bozeman last month, Jacobs had been asking the then-candidate about the Republican healthcare plan when the alleged assault took place.

Gianforte’s campaign initially blamed the altercation on Jacobs’ “aggressive behavior” and offered a version of events at odds with the audio recording and witnesses.

In Wednesday’s letter, Gianforte stated: “I had no right to respond the way did to your legitimate question about healthcare policy. You were doing your job.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it appreciated the congressman-elect’s donation.

“We are heartened to see that the congressman has issued an apology and recognizes that violence against journalists is unacceptable,” said Courtney Radsch, the group’s advocacy director. </s> The newly elected congressman from Montana issued a public and unequivocal apology Wednesday to the reporter whom he body-slammed on election eve.

In the letter, Greg Gianforte also promised to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, explaining that his attack on Ben Jacobs of the Guardian was an unjustified assault on a reporter who was just doing his job and “in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events.”

“My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful,” wrote Mr, Gianforte, Montana Republican. “As both a candidate for office and a public official, I should be held to a high standard in my interactions with the press and the public. My treatment of you did not meet that standard.”

The May 24 incident, which was caught on audio tape and witnessed by two other teams of journalists, had Mr. Gianforte react to persistent questions from Mr. Jacobs about the Obamacare-replacement bill.

The candidate pushed Mr. Jacobs to the ground, punched him and broke his glasses. The broken spectacles are being donated at the Newseum.

The Gianforte campaign initially blamed Mr. Jacobs for the altercation, and he won the special U.S. House election the next day.

Though Mr. Gianforte faces criminal assault charges, the apology and donation ends any civil claims Mr. Jacobs may make against the newly-minted congressman, the Guardian reported.

“I have accepted Mr Gianforte’s apology and his willingness to take responsibility for his actions and statements,” Mr. Jacobs said in a statement reported by the liberal British newspaper. “I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the first amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country.” </s> Montana Congressman-elect Greg Gianforte has penned a lengthy apology to the reporter he assaulted on the night before his election, describing his actions as "unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful." Gianforte also said he would donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.



Ben Jacobs, the Guardian journalist who was "body slammed" by Gianforte last month, received the letter on Wednesday as part of an agreement that settles any potential civil claims, the Guardian reported. Gianforte still faces criminal charges.

“I have accepted Mr. Gianforte's apology and his willingness to take responsibility for his actions and statements," Jacobs said in a statement sent to BuzzFeed News. "I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the First Amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country."



The incident took place on May 24 at a campaign meet-and-greet in Bozeman after Ben Jacobs asked Gianforte a question about healthcare. Jacobs tweeted that he was "body slammed," breaking his glasses.



“My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful,” Gianforte wrote in a letter to Jacobs, which was shared with BuzzFeed News. “As both a candidate for office and a public official, I should be held to a high standard in my interactions with the press and the public. My treatment of you did not meet that standard.”

Gianforte said the $50,000 donation to the CPJ, an independent non-profit that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists, was made "in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events."

The congressman-elect's campaign initially blamed "aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist" for the assault, but audio of the incident recorded by Jacobs and Fox News reporters who witnessed the event, contradicted the claim.

"Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him," reporter Alicia Acuna wrote on Fox News' website.



That night, Gianforte was charged with assault. If found guilty, he could face up to six months in jail or a $500 fine. The next day, he won the election against Democratic candidate Rob Quist with 50.2% of the vote. The Missoulian reported that two-thirds of the ballots were sent by mail before the assault occurred.

At his victory party, Gianforte apologized for his actions, but did not address his campaign's false statements about the incident. Wednesday's letter seemed to address it: “Notwithstanding anyone’s statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you...I take full responsibility."

The Guardian reported that as part of the settlement Jacobs had signed a release foregoing any civil claim against Gianforte because of the donation. </s> Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate in Montana’s special congressional election, has been charged with misdemeanor assault after he allegedly body slammed a reporter and broke his glasses on Wednesday night.

The altercation took place at Gianforte’s campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, the night before the state’s special election. It sent political shock waves rippling through the race, with two local newspapers rescinding their support for the GOP candidate.

Ben Jacobs, a political reporter for the Guardian, said he had been asking Gianforte about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate “body slammed” him and began shouting, “Get the hell out of here.”

“He took me to the ground,” Jacobs told his paper. “This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in reporting on politics.”

The audio file provided by Jacobs backs up his account of the incident and so did accounts by other journalists who witnessed the incident.

Gianforte received a citation on Wednesday night and is scheduled to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court between now and June 7, according to County Sheriff Brian Gootkin.

The nature of Jacobs’ injuries didn’t meet the statutory requirements for a felony assault charge, Gootkin said in a statement.

Before the charge was announced, Gianforte’s campaign blamed the altercation on Jacobs’ “aggressive behavior,” and offered a version of events at odds with the audio recording and witnesses.

“Tonight, as Greg was giving a separate interview in a private office, The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs entered the office without permission, aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg’s face, and began asking badgering questions,” the campaign said. “Jacobs was asked to leave. After asking Jacobs to lower the recorder, Jacobs declined. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg’s wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It’s unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ.”

Fox News: Reporter didn’t show physical aggression

Late Wednesday, Fox News correspondent Alicia Acuna reported that she and her crew witnessed the incident and saw Gianforte grab Jacobs “by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him.”

“To be clear, at no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte,” Acuna wrote.

Jacobs was transferred to the Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he underwent x-rays on his elbow, according to his account of the story.

Sheriff Gootkin said four witnesses are being interviewed, in addition to Jacobs, in relation to the incident. He said authorities are not releasing the identities of the other witnesses at this time.

A filing from the Federal Election Commission indicates Gootkin donated $250 to Gianforte’s campaign in March. Gootkin confirmed the donation, but said it had no bearing on the investigation into Wednesday night’s altercation.

Newspapers yank endorsements

Gianforte suffered fallout from the incident when three local newspapers — the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette and the Independent Record — rescinded their endorsements of the GOP candidate.

“The Republican candidate for Congress not only lost the endorsement of this newspaper Wednesday night when, according to witnesses, he put his hands around the throat of a reporter asking him about his health care stance, threw him to the ground and punched him — he should lose the confidence of all Montanans,” the Missoulian said in an editorial.

The paper went on to say Gianforte “lacks the experience, brains and abilities to effectively represent Montana in any elected office.”

The Billings Gazette said it was “at a loss for words.”

“If what was heard on tape and described by eye-witnesses is accurate, the incident in Bozeman is nothing short of assault,” the newspaper wrote. “We wouldn’t condone it if it happened on the street. We wouldn’t condone it if it happened in a home or even a late-night bar fight. And we couldn’t accept it from a man who is running to become Montana’s lone Congressional representative.”

The Independent Record, which is based in Helena, Montana, said it would not condone this kind of violence.

“While we may not know all of the specifics of the incident until the investigation has concluded, we know that we can no longer support Gianforte’s candidacy,” it said.

Will it affect the election?

Supporters of Democratic candidate Rob Quist outside an event at a brewery in Missoula were in disagreement about how much effect the Gianforte incident would have on the race.

“It’s close, I think, and this could definitely make a difference,” said Charley Carpenter, a Missoula resident. “It should make a difference.”

Todd Mowbrey, 67, interjected that it wouldn’t make any difference for diehard Republican voters.

In Montana, any resident can vote absentee leading to questions about how much of an impact the late incident will have on the results. Both Republicans and Democrats expect that 7 in 10 voters will have already voted before the polls open tomorrow.

Quist himself said it was not his place to comment, and that he was just focused on the issues that are facing the people of Montana.

Kate Gadbow, who supports Quist, said that she was alarmed by the alleged events, noting that it is “an indication of how he would act under pressure.”

She said “the last thing we need is one more guy who flies off the handle.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a statement following the incident that Gianforte should “immediately withdraw his candidacy after his alleged violent assault of an innocent journalist.” It also called for House Speaker Paul Ryan to National Republican Campaign Committee to denounce the candidate and apologize.

Gianforte, an engineer and businessman, is running against Quist for the state’s lone congressional seat, which was vacated by Republican Ryan Zinke upon his appointment to United States Secretary of the Interior.

Late last month, Jacobs reported that Gianforte had nearly $250,000 in shares in two index funds that had investments in Russian companies which were under U.S. sanctions. The Guardian reported that a Gianforte spokesman said the candidate did not oversee his portfolio daily, but looked at its “overall performance.”
Montana congressman Greg Gianforte apologizes to journalist Ben Jacobs for the alleged body slam incident that occurred on May 24, and donates US$50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.