When Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management in June for body slamming a reporter from The Guardian who tried to ask him a question, Gianforte apologized and told the reporter he looked forward to “sitting down” with him “if and when you’re ready,” according to The Washington Post.
After the new congressman was sworn in on June 21, Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs contacted his office to set up an interview. But two months later, the Guardian said that still hasn’t been arranged.
“So far, the Congressman has yet to commit to this interview. However, in light of his promise to sit down for an interview with Ben in the courtroom before being sentenced on June 12, we fully expect the Congressman to be a man of his word,” a Guardian spokesperson told The Washington Post, saying Jacobs has been in communication with Gianforte’s office since June 22.
His office told the Post they’ve been “in discussions” with Jacobs for several weeks.
“We’ve offered times to Ben to sit down with Greg when the House reconvenes after the district work period,” Gianforte’s communications director said.
The news comes just days after a court judge ordered that Gianforte be photographed and fingerprinted for the assault by Sept. 15. The congressman had argued that he shouldn’t be booked because he was never arrested for the incident.
Just one day before he was elected to the House, Jacobs approached Gianforte to ask him a question about health care. Gianforte body slammed the reporter and broke his glasses. Prosecutors filed an assault charge later that day.
Gianforte’s campaign tried to place the blame on Jacobs initially, but Jacobs’ audiotape recording of the encounter showed the reporter did not provoke him.
Gianforte issued an apology and pledged to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.