Reporter Ben Jacobs said a candidate for Congress in Montana “body slammed” him during an interview Wednesday, a day before a special election in the state.
The incident apparently occurred after Jacobs, a reporter for The Guardian, asked GOP candidate Greg Gianforte about the Congressional Budget Office’s newly released appraisal of House Republicans’ health care bill.
A rustling noise could be heard on an audio recording of the incident, after which Gianforte apparently told Jacobs, “I’m a sick and tired of you guys.” He added: “Get the hell out of here.”
“You just body slammed me and broke my glasses,” Jacobs said, sounding stunned.
Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017
There was a local TV crew there when Gianforte body slammed me. Audio is posting soon at @GuardianUS
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017
“He took me to the ground,” Jacobs told The Guardian, which reported that he was speaking from the back of an ambulance. “This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in reporting on politics.”
The paper reported that Jacobs alerted the authorities to the incident. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said it was “currently investigating allegations of an assault,” according to Politico.
Gallatin County Sheriff's Office now updates: "currently investigating allegations of an assault involving Greg Gianforte."
— Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) May 25, 2017
The Gianforte campaign said Jacobs asked “badgering questions” and interrupted a separate interview.
“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,” Gianforte spokesman Shane Scanlon said in a statement, according to Politico.
Gianforte's statement: pic.twitter.com/WVNdA1yZ8w
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 25, 2017
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have thrown their support behind Gianforte, recording robocalls for the GOP candidate.
A reporter for BuzzFeed who was in the vicinity also reported what she observed from the scene: