Hooooboy. Montana GOP candidate Gianforte says that the reporter he body-slammed totally deserved it!!!
Here’s his statement:
I mean, that just doesn’t sound like what happened – we posted the audio of the altercation here.
Now the Dems are calling for him to bow out:
NO WAY!! NOT IN THE AGE OF TRUMP!! REEAAAARGHHH!!!
UPDATE:
OK, so.. wow. You all should have seen the Twitter cesspool commenting on this story. It was pathetic. People were defending Gianforte and accusing the reporter of lying because he’s liberal, and he’s not our tribe, so of course he lies, right? Forget that his account made absolutely no sense compared to the audio. Reality doesn’t matter as long as you’re #WINNING!!!
Luckily for him, a Fox News crew was there, and their account is actually worse than his:
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 him 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!”
Jacobs scrambled to his knees and said something about his glasses being broken. He asked Faith, Keith and myself for our names. In shock, we did not answer. Jacobs then said he wanted the police called and went to leave. Gianforte looked at the three of us and repeatedly apologized. At that point, I told him and Scanlon, who was now present, that we needed a moment. The men then left.
This is key:
To be clear, at no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte, who left the area after giving statements to local sheriff’s deputies.
So is that we’ve become now?
This is what we support? Is unprovoked violence awesome because we disagree with the politics of the victim? That’s what “law and order” is, that’s what makes America great, right?
What a cesspool.
And think about this – if the Fox News reporters had not been there, the stupider scumbags on our side, which seem like a majority now, would have gone marching to defend this thug and run down the reputation of the reporter.
Oh yeah, it’s gonna get worse.
UPDATE:
Gianforte is charged with misdemeanor assault – by the Sheriff who donated to his political campaign!!
Earlier this evening I conducted a press conference about an incident that occurred at Greg Gianforte’s campaign headquarters. After the press conference it was brought to my attention that people were commenting on a contribution that I made to the Gianforte campaign. I did contribute $250.00 on March 23, 2017. This contribution has nothing to do with our investigation which is now complete.
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 misdemeanor assault (MCA 45-5-201). The nature of the injuries did not meet the statutory elements of felony assault. Greg Gianforte received a citation on Wednesday night and is scheduled to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court between now and June 7, 2017.
45-5-201. Assault. (1) A person commits the offense of assault if the person:
(a) purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another;
(b) negligently causes bodily injury to another with a weapon;
(c) purposely or knowingly makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with any individual; or
(d) purposely or knowingly causes reasonable apprehension of bodily injury in another.
(2) A person convicted of assault shall be fined not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for any term not to exceed 6 months, or both. ######
LOL! Will the Sheriff cover the fine too?