Montana congressman misled authorities on reporter’s assault

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana congressman misled investigators about his assault on a reporter the day before he was elected and claimed that the “liberal media” was “trying to make a story” out of it, according to documents released Friday.

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, told an officer in the aftermath of the attack that Guardian newspaper reporter Ben Jacobs had grabbed him by the wrist and pulled both of them to the floor, according to notes from a Gallatin County sheriff’s officer who interviewed the politician the night of the attack.


Multiple witnesses contradicted that account, and Gianforte later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. The attack occurred the day before his victory in a May 25 special election, by which time many voters already had cast ballots by mail.

More than 100 pages of documents, photos and audio from the investigation were released under a court order following requests from The Associated Press and other news organizations.

The documents include interviews with members of a Fox News crew who were in the room with Gianforte and Jacobs at the politician’s Bozeman campaign office. They said Gianforte became enraged over what he perceived as biased coverage before body-slamming Jacobs, throwing him to the ground and punching him.

Gianforte staffer Josh Elle — the candidate’s driver — told investigators that he was in an adjacent room when he heard a commotion and looked into the interview room. Elle told investigators that Gianforte appeared to be striking the reporter with closed fists before someone in the room closed the door.

Another worker said Gianforte and others on the campaign had been complaining earlier in the day about “duplicitous” campaign coverage by the Guardian and Buzzfeed.

Gianforte told Sgt. Scott Secor in an interview that Jacobs had interrupted as the Fox crew set up for an interview and “started interrogating in a very intensive way.”

“I probably shouldn’t do it but I reached out for his phone ... he grabbed my wrist, he spun and we ended up on the floor ... so he pulled me down on top of him,” the sergeant quoted Gianforte as saying.

In the hours after the assault, Gianforte’s campaign spokesman, Shane Scanlon, issued a statement that also blamed the attack on Jacobs, saying the reporter had grabbed the candidate’s wrist. The records released Friday show that Gianforte first gave the misleading account to authorities.

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