Holy shit. The piece of shit Republican, Greg Gianforte, who is running in tomorrow’s special election in Montana attacked a reporter for politely asking questions about TrumpCare.
He’s going to be that much more upset when he loses tomorrow.
by DougJ| 206 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads
Holy shit. The piece of shit Republican, Greg Gianforte, who is running in tomorrow’s special election in Montana attacked a reporter for politely asking questions about TrumpCare.
He’s going to be that much more upset when he loses tomorrow.
Comments are closed.
Trentrunner
Trump created this media-assaulting atmosphere. He owns it.
pharniel
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck these clowns.
WestTexan70
Lock him up.
For real.
dm
It gets better. Here’s how the Guardian leads their story:
They also have a link to audio of the event.
I’m guessing Gianforte’s internal polls show him trailing, and he’s feeling the pressure of the campaign.
mai naem mobile
Putting my political strategist hat on,goddamnit why didn’t this happen a week ago to get a full news cycle?
Trentrunner
Gianforte’s statement blames “liberal” Jacobs for grabbing Gianforte’s wrist.
Corner Stone
Holy shit. That campaign statement is fucking bonkers.
Peale
Another white guy with a shaved head? Wasn’t it roger stone last week making charges about Gen. McMaster’s gay leather community ties just last week for sporting a similar hairstyle?
Trentrunner
@mai naem mobile: Well, as Cole just tweeted, given we live in Trumpworld, it’s 50/50 whether this helps/hurts Gianforte.
I think that’s right.
Adam L Silverman
This is the thread you’ll want to see:
mai naem mobile
Somebody should ask Mike Pence if Jayzus would approve this kind of behavior?
sharl
@dm: That particular Guardian story came out just last month (4/28), and it was by the very reporter who was assaulted. Hmm…
Someone also speculated that it could be that Gianforte has seen polling numbers that have left him a bit stressed. We can only hope; it’s up to Montanans now.
chris
Lots more in John Cole’s Twitter feed. Link
Iowa Old Lady
@mai naem mobile: I don’t know. Did the reporter turn the other cheek?
farthestnorth
Chris Hayes is great on this. Wonder if GG didn’t realize there was an audio when he released his statement blaming the liberal reporter
Ian
If he wins and then is convicted of assault, will his fellow house republicans censor him and make him walk the plank? I seem doubtful.
Mary G
If Republicans get their way, we won’t have a free press anymore. First a reporter gets arrested for trying to ask Tom Price a question, then a reporter is followed around the building and eventually manhandled for trying to ask the FCC commisioners a question and now they’ve escalated to bodyslamming. Shameful.
TenguPhule
@Mary G: Trump already is trying to figure out how to arrest reporters en masse.
hovercraft
He just put out a bullshit statement that is not supported by the audio. I guess we shouldn’t believe our lying ears, the question was rude and he shoved his recorder into the candidates face aggressively.
Mike in NC
Meanwhile, Lunatic-in-Chief is planning yet another White Power rally upon returning to US. This time in Iowa. Must be to distract from having zero legislative accomplishments to date.
Mike J
Why wasn’t the reporter armed?
encephalopath
Unfortunately, as we have seen, there is a disappointingly large portion of the electorate who loves that asshole, bully shit. This sort of thing will make them vote for him harder rather than dissuading them.
Trentrunner
Isn’t there likely to be video, since it took place in a room where Gianforte was getting ready to be interviewed by a local TV station?
Paula
The audio sounds really bad. Hope Jacobs presses charges. Immediately.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
This wouldn’t have happened if we still had school prayer.
Iowa Old Lady
The story will hit local TV news so voters will at least be reminded there’s a special election. GOTV!
TenguPhule
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Right, because we wouldn’t have any reporters. Facts are the work of Satan.
JPL
@farthestnorth: I assume they are hoping their supporters don’t listen It also depends on how the news covers the assault.
I did read that 2/3rd’s of the votes have already been cast.
Am I alone having trouble trusting so called good christians.
chopper
republican snowflake gets a question, gets violent.
Major Major Major Major
@Mike J: They really should’ve had a gun. Up there you get bears attacking schools and shit.
Trentrunner
Another way this was stupid: Media/reporters will identify with Jacobs and that will further fuel coverage.
hovercraft
@Mike in NC:
Wasn’t there a recent poll indicating that his popularity in Iowa had nosedived?
germy
The above video is from the guardian article. The Guardian says in the caption it’s audio only, but whoever posted it to youtube is anxious for clicks, and so called it “Greg Gianforte Assaults Reporter – video“
Ian
@JPL:
That number is likely to be 2/3 of likely voters (a guess, I do not know for sure). Very few states hit 50% voter turnout total. This incident may boost non-voters or disinterested voters out tomorrow, changing the likely voter pool.
eclare
@Iowa Old Lady: That is my hope!
eclare
@Major Major Major Major: Hahaha, you win the internets today.
Peale
@hovercraft: I don’t get why. I mean his first trade deal with China was for billions in ag products. Just like every other trade deal, the farmers get fed first.
JPL
@Ian: That sounds right. I have no idea about voting turnout in Montana. The sheriff is going to have a news conference at eight, which is past my bedtime, since I live on the east coast. I assume they give Greg a pass, because it’s Montana.
germy
Candidate Greg looks like Rick Scott’s healthier brother.
JPL
@germy: lol
germy
Jesus! Steve Bannon is on Frontline tonight.
Talking head just called him a “brilliant strategist.”
Major Major Major Major
@Ian: I also heard Montana is really hard to poll.
schrodingers_cat
What is with all these bald Republican men? Do they lose brain cells along with their hair?
schrodingers_cat
@germy: Frontline more like Farceline. I saw one that blamed Obama for the rise of ISIS and their pre-election one on the candidates could be summarized in a line, HRC: ambitious bitch, DT: lovable rogue.
ByRookorbyCrook
There was a local news team setting up in the room when this went down. There may be video from them. I imagine the Rethuglican will amend his statement. It seems to be all the rage with the GOP these days.
schrodingers_cat
@Major Major Major Major: Too many mountains?
Major Major Major Major
@schrodingers_cat: nobody answers the phone. Too much time outdoors or with bad reception.
SiubhanDuinne
Willie Nelson, nice title. (I so rarely know what the reference is, it’s fun to get one right occasionally.)
Republicans seem to default to violence. I’d have to google for the details, and I’m lazy and don’t feel like it right now, but I’m pretty sure one of Rand Paul’s goons curb-stomped either a reporter or a peaceful protester when he was first running for the Senate in 2010.
I have a kid brother whose usual response to opposition (or anything he took as opposition) all through his childhood and teen years was to slam his fist into his opponent’s face. He bloodied my nose and smashed up my glasses when I was about 18 and he was 14 or 15, and I was by no means the only one who felt his knuckles. To his credit, he began martial arts training not long thereafter, became extremely skilled, and internalized the discipline and detachment required. But if impulse control isn’t there — and it sounds as though it isn’t in Gianforte’s case — it can be damaging to say the least.
Felonius Monk
@schrodingers_cat:
No. They just subconsciously know that they are dickheads.
socraticsilence
If anyone is interested, I’m hosting an emergency phonebank training at 8:30 am EST tomorrow: http://www.turnoutpac.org/phone-bank-turn-mt-blue/
JMG
What goes around, comes around. Reporters covering Republicans are advised to start carrying mace, or just a roll of quarters inside a sock.
Aimai
@chris:
Steeplejack
@schrodingers_cat:
Leather daddies! (h/t Alex Jones at InfoWars.)
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack: what about em?
Ruckus
@schrodingers_cat:
The brain cells were trying to run away from the misuse and abuse and as they are so small all they needed was to push the hair out and they have an escape path.
So to answer your question, Yes, yes they do.
sharl
I did not know this!
Underpaid Propagandist
I’m sure Corey Robin will invent a self-denial for this.
ThresherK
On first glance, after reading the headline, the mic is almost covered by the big “hit here” arrow icon.
I confused the angled boom arm with him holding a riding crop or metal baton. Can ye blame me?
Steeplejack
@Major Major Major Major:
Jones said the bald head was a tip-off when he was ragging on General McMaster.
Gelfling 545
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: It’s the damn liberals eroding the civility of politics and destroying the decencies of debate. That’s what it is. Yup.
amk
@sharl: This is the news worth reporting on as a follow-up, doug.
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack: man, Jones must spend too must time with his Tom of Finland collection if shaved head + uniform = leather daddy.
Baud
@Gelfling 545: To be fair, have you read this blog?
hovercraft
@Steeplejack:
Ewwwwwww!
chris
@Aimai: .
Steeplejack
@Major Major Major Major:
Let’s go to the tape. (Bonus: Roger Stone!)
eclare
@Steeplejack: I wonder what Tuck Buckford has to say about that?
Doug!
@SiubhanDuinne:
It’s the only song I know that mentions Montana, as well as being from one of my all-time favorite albums.
sharl
As noted here earlier – I forget by whom – there has already been a lot of early voting in MT. As of May 22, that number was at 36% of those who self-described as “likely voters”.
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack: not getting out of the boat.
germy
Candidate Greg released a statement.
He says it was the reporter’s fault.
Iowa Old Lady
@germy: Well that settles that then.
Steeplejack
@eclare:
Ha! Tuck Buckford had to issue his own non-apology apology a few nights ago, if I remember correctly.
hovercraft
@germy:
You mean the liberal reporters fault, him and his aggressive microphone/recorder that he shoved into the poor defenseless candidates face.
Major Major Major Major
@germy: I’m surprised he didn’t blame Obama.
germy
I mean, c’mon. How else could Greg respond?
“Aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist” is a quote from the statement.
hellslittlestangel
I hope Gianforte spends tomorrow in a jail cell, unable to vote.
germy
@Major Major Major Major:
That sort of goes without saying.
Didn’t Obama create an atmosphere where aggressive reporters can shove recorders into the faces of honest men?
Keith P.
In prison, he’ll be the pie
Mary G
Don’t know if it’s true, but appears Quist decided to get even:
SiubhanDuinne
@Mary G:
Good. I hope so.
Gin & Tonic
@Doug!:
Here you go.
amk
Corner Stone
Doesn’t GG’s campaign have to know 100% that there is no video in existence? from any TV crew, reporter, staffer, passers-by?
Or are they betting it is too late for anyone to see the video and be arsed enough to change their vote?
By this I mean some people may have been cheering him beating up a liberal reporter, but his BS statement vs actual video? Maybe peel off a few voters?
And what happens if Ben does press charges?
raven
@Doug!: Doug, you are slipping
Frank Zappa Moving To Montana
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I would say that first sentence is the challenge. I’m sure it’s all over the internet, and will be on the morning networks’ news, local and cable
ETA
amk
Kay
@Paula:
It does. In a way it’s worse than video. The reporter is right, too. He needs to be arrested for assault. Anyone else would be.
I love the arrogance. It sounds like he was too cowardly to give a straight answer on the health care bill so put them off with some bullshit about waiting for the CBO score. He’s mad the reporter called him out on his bullshit.
Has he answered the question yet? It would be a shame if he were able to weasel out of answering by assaulting someone, not to mention anyone else would already be in police custody. The worst time to get arrested is before a holiday weekend, so he might be in there a while.
Steeplejack
@germy:
The “liberal” reporter’s fault. Fix’d.
From Gianforte spokesman Shane Scanlon’s statement: “It’s unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ.” (News story here.)
Omnes Omnibus
@amk: I read something about that on a blog somewhere.
Major Major Major Major
@germy: I thought Obama started a race war.
JPL
@Kay: If he is not charged, the sheriff should be shamed. I assume he won’t be, because why wait for a news conference.
eclare
@Steeplejack: Not for “leather daddies” whatever that means. That was for the evil, seeping Chobani yogurt, which devours your soul at night from your fridge.
ETA> No, all Alex Jones said was that Chobani employed refugee terrorists who spread, I think TB. So, yes, I exaggerated. Maybe.
dm
The audio, with that “Are you from the Guardian?” makes it sound like the Guardian’s reporting on his Russian connection bothers him. I was wondering who “the other guy” was who “did the same thing”, and what that thing was (presumably, persisting in asking a question).
raven
Cold Missouri Waters
My name is Dodge but then you know that
It’s written on the chart there at the foot end of the of the bed
They think I’m blind that I can’t read it
I’ve read it every word and every word it says is death
So confession Is that the reason that you came
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game
Since you mention it well there’s thirteen things I’ll name
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
August 49 North Montana
The hottest day on record the forest tinder dry
Lightning strikes in the mountains
I was crew chief at the jump base
I prepared the boys to fly
Pick the drop zone C47 comes in low
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you go
See the circle of the fire down below
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters
Gauged the fire I’d seen bigger
So I ordered them to side hill we’d fight it from below
We’d have our backs to the river
We’d have it licked by morning even if we took it slow
But the fire crowned jumped the valley just ahead
There was no way down headed for the ridge instead
Too big to fight it we’d have to fight that slope instead
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters
Sky had turned red smoke was boiling
Two hundred yards to saftey
Death was fifty yards behind
I don’t know why I just thought it
I struck a match to waist high grass running out of time
Tried to tell them step into this fire I’ve set
We can’t make it this is the only chance you’ll get
But they cursed me
Ran for the rocks above instead
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters
Then when I rose like the phoenix
In that world reduced to ashes
There was none but two survived
I stayed that night and one day after
Carried bodies to the river
Wondering how I stayed alive
Thirteen stations of the cross to mark their fall
I’ve had my say I’ll confess to nothing more
I’ll join them now those that they left me long before
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
Patricia Kayden
@Trentrunner: Yep. And he started the whole “beat down a protester and I’ll pay your court costs” thingy. Classy Dude.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
via Jamelle Bouie’s twitter
JPL
@Kay: Saw this on a local reporters feed
On way to press conference, we pass @Bencjacobs riding shotgun in a Gallatin Co Sheriff’s Office patrol car. #bdcnews #mtal
Does it mean anything?
Steeplejack
@eclare:
You didn’t exaggerate much.
germy
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Their biggest enemy is a free press?
Actually, he’s right.
low-tech cyclist
@Gin & Tonic: You beat me to it.
Kay
@JPL:
I’m pleased the reporter called the police and made an ordinary complaint. There’s nothing special about this guy. He’s just an ordinary thug, one of probably hundreds of assaults today.
I know he’ll get special treatment but everyone doesn’t have to play along. People can hold up norms even if authorities don’t.
JPL
It’s on the local nbc Atlanta feed. Nice. I hope Karen is asked about it.
Mary G
The sheriff’s office has repeated their request that people stop calling 911 to find out what happened. Lord above.
different-church-lady
@Mary G: jesus, people… FOUR one one is what you dial when you want information!
Mike J
@Major Major Major Major: I started a joke.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fkG4oIPT7tU
Steve in the ATL
@SiubhanDuinne:
Could he take Adam Silverman? That’s the standard ’round these parts.
Kay
It’ll be depressing if people think this is acceptable behavior but I put nothing past them after Trump. They’re just really poor judges of character. Sometimes you wonder how they reached adulthood- survived. They make such poor choices of people to admire or promote.
sharl
@Kay: Here’s the start of a short tweet-stream from May 6
There are a few links in that collection of tweets, none of which I read, but from the numbers just in the tweets alone, that should have provided lots of ammo to Quist’s campaign against the GOP guy with the anger management issues.
I haven’t been following this race beyond the occasional news mention, but I did see that health insurance is a big concern there. Unless MT somehow comes out looking better under ACHA via today’s CBO scoring data – which seems doubtful – I could see why Gianforte wouldn’t want to answer the CBO scoring question from Ben Jacobs.
Chet Murthy
There’s something the Rethugs learned, this cycle. If they’re shameless, they get away with things nobody ever got away with in the past. If Gianforte wins, I fully expect him to make the assault “go away” (if necessary by pleading down to a misdemeanor or something) and be seated in Congress. And for no other Rethug congresscritter to make the slightest noise.
It’s who they are, now.
ETA: Heck, just staying in the race, is testament to the superhuman power of shamelessness.
JPL
This is what is on the 11alive homepage (nbcatlanta)
http://www.11alive.com/news/politics/national-politics/reporter-alleges-he-was-body-slammed-by-montana-gop-candidate/442749685
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
Karen would cut you.
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: Yes, he’s been released from the hospital after having his elbow checked and a deputy is taking him either back to his rental car at the location where he was attacked so he can then drive to the sheriff’s office to make a formal statement and press charges or to the sheriff’s office to make a formal statement and press charges and then they’ll drive him to pick up his car.
Gex
@Mary G: They could arrest him like they would anyone else if they don’t like getting asked about it.
Kay
I would bet money it’s not the first time, either. If that question set him off imagine what else sets him off.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mary G:
@different-church-lady:
ELL OH ELL
JPL
This is actually funny if you read the caption.
https://twitter.com/wabermes/status/867560806396948480
not quite standing room only lol
JPL
@Adam L Silverman: Thanks
Kay
@sharl:
He seems to get “caught on tape” a lot, doesn’t he? You’d think he’d have this tape thing figured out.
JMG
If Gianforte is elected (probably will be), his troubles will just begin. Regardless of the status of any criminal and civil litigation, he will get to Congress and one-half the reporters in DC will be surrounding him daily hoping they can set him off. The other half will be going over every second of his past life hoping they can ruin the rest of it.
C Nelson Reilly
Politician / Journalist Body Slams I’d Like To See:
William H. Taft / Chris Cillizza
Maxine Waters / Sean Hannity
Evan Bayh / Helen Thomas
hovercraft
@Steve in the ATL:
Have you seen Adam? GG is a (b)millionaire businessman, also too a carpetbagger, Adam could totally take him. I think.
rikyrah
waiting for the Sherriff in Montana right now to have a press conference
SWMBO
@Mike in NC: He has pissed off liberals every day. That’s what he’s accomplished. And his supporters love it.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
@C Nelson Reilly: Helen Thomas has long since been dead, and immortalized by “that makes me moist.”
I’d also throw in Matthew Yglesias / Jack Shafer.
Major Major Major Major
Clearly this is why early voting is the devil. You just don’t know everything about the candidates. For example until this I never would have guessed this asshole thought assaulting members of the press was ok!
I crack me up.
Gelfling 545
@Patricia Kayden: And now he’s being sued by some poor fool who thought he meant he’d actually pay.
JPL
According to this feed, they are still investigating. Either Adam is right, that Ben has to press charges, or they are waiting until Friday for the arrest.
https://twitter.com/wabermes
Corner Stone
I am always a fan of a mid-week Joy Reid sighting!
hovercraft
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD):
Mightn’t that improve her odds, zombies are strong, no?
Sorry ;)
Keith P.
@C Nelson Reilly: I’d go with Jesse Ventura/Chris Cilizza (although I don’t think Thor’s hammer could damage those frames….too much plastic and hipster strength)
Another Scott
I just donated to Quist’s campaign (again). I don’t think the money will be wasted, even at this late date. They can buy pizza and donuts for the volunteers, etc.
Monsters like this Teabagger – like Michael Grimm before him – have no business having an office of trust under the United States. Grimm got 8 months in prison for tax evasion.
We need to make sure our candidates have the resources they need for GOTV, etc., etc.
Fingers crossed.
Cheers,
Scott.
rikyrah
CNN PoliticsVerified account @CNNPolitics
AG Jeff Sessions did not disclose Russia meetings in a security clearance form, DOJ says http://cnn.it/2qll59s
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I don’t think this comparison is meant to be complimentary
Aleta
@raven:
Another one written by James Keelaghan:
In the corridors of power where our voice is seldom heard
The status quo is what they want, they can get it with a word
For us it takes a thousand voices, a million angry shouts
To notify the ship of state to bring its course about
But if we pull together we might turn this ship around
Hold your ground
Oh, this world is changing
Spinning out through space and time
Oh, it’s rearranging
All the things we thought were yours and mine
You’ve got to hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Sometimes it seems the motion is strictly retrograde
There are so many reversals of advances that you’ve made
The things you thought were changing have shuddered to a halt
But if we stand together we might turn this world around
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
It isn’t for the faint of heart to bet when the odds are long
And neither is it easy to be right in face of wring
You must proceed from strength to strength, although the road is rough
And sometimes human courage just isn’t quite enough
But if we stand together we might turn this world around
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Oh this world is changing
different-church-lady
Congratulations Krista Shockey, you are DUMBSHIT OF THE DAY!
Steve in the ATL
@Another Scott:
Bandages, braces, painkillers, copays….
Jim, Foolish Literalist
sooooo many doughy wannabes on the right
a great deed for the country, by a true patriot, because somebody asked a congressional candidate about the budget impact of a bill in congress. Is “Dagny” a Randian handle? Dagny Taggart? ETA Google tells me it’s the shrugging Atlas itself. I thought it was the architect’s girlfriend in the other one
Steve in the ATL
@hovercraft:
I know Adam has been trying to butch it up since I made that bicurious joke last night. I was just kidding but apparently struck a nerve!
(BRB–checking my email for a cease and desist from Adam!)
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: The Sheriff, at the press conference, indicated they didn’t make an arrest at the scene because they were gathering evidence: the audio, witness statements – apparently there were four other people in the room (key question here is whether of those four who are Gianforte staffers if they tell the truth or try to cover for their boss by claiming that Jacobs attacked Gianforte in line with the campaign statement), and attempt to gather and review any video that might exist.
My guess is that if Gianforte wasn’t 1) rich and 2) a candidate for Congress that he would have been arrested on the spot and then all of the above would have been done. Also: he white!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
yeah, they were gathering evidence, so they let the accused drive away.
amk
So, there is at least one witness.
SWMBO
@Gin & Tonic:
https://youtu.be/R1a_QBSGO_w
Mike J
(Screenshots of tweets)
Vhh
@schrodingers_cat: Baldness increases with testosterone.
SiubhanDuinne
@amk:
Is she the one who was on Chris Hayes’ show earlier? I had arrived at my destination so heard only a few seconds, but the young woman who was his guest said she was an eyewitnes.
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
And Ari Melber in as host!
schrodingers_cat
@Vhh: I thought it was hirsuteness.
JPL
The sheriff is saying that they haven’t spoken to Gianforte yet and as a Montanan he has the right to present his side with an attorney. CNN is interviewing him.
lamh36
Anyone believe that the guy will be arrested for assault? Cause I don’t…the whole “we are investigating” was to get the media off their backs…but watch…they won’t arrest him, and if they do, they’ll do it in the middle of the night…so no one sees his perp walk in time for the election…smh
That is, if they even arrest/charge him at all, but bet, it will be AFTER election day…and ONLY if he lost…if then
JPL
It sounds to me like nothing is going to happen until after the election.
Gin & Tonic
@SWMBO: Might just be me, but I think the set of people who answer a question with “Frank Zappa” and the set who answer the same question with “John Denver” probably don’t have a lot of overlap.
Peale
Reading your comments about GG. I keep thinking you’re all talking about Glen Greenwald.
JMG
I can’t wait until Gianforte goes out for the usual early morning “candidate X casts vote” photo op! Should be excellent!!! Maybe he’ll snap again.
Smiling Mortician
@Gin & Tonic: Depending on the question, I might be in that subset. #BornIn1960
lamh36
If this MT thing, doesn’t make more reporters ANGRY & willing to tear the GOP and Cheeto Prez a new one in their reporting…IDK what will
guachi
@Adam L Silverman:
It’s Montana. Everyone is white. In the 15 years I lived in Montana, I spoke to exactly one black person.
The fact he’s white is meaningless.
Smiling Mortician
@JPL: Yup. But maybe people will hear about it anyway. Here’s hoping.
Smiling Mortician
@guachi: Maybe that’s why it was just an “Also:”
lamh36
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@lamh36: on the 911 tape Rachel Maddow played, somebody refers to him as “Greg”. I know candidate deliberately emphasize first names, these days, but still…
JPL
@lamh36: I’m shocked. Not really because I just listened to him on CNN.
Elie
I could see however, in a counterintuitive way, that he would do this to energize the knuckle dragging base he wants to mobilize to vote. Twisted? For sure. But I could see one of these lame brains thinking that. So we have to GOTV and stay cool and make sure every vote is counted…
GregB
@lamh36:
The investigation is over. The reporter has been arrested and is being questioned in the Seth RIch murder.
Trentrunner
Eyewitness reports–local Fox News!–is pretty damning: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/24/greg-gianforte-fox-news-team-witnesses-gop-house-candidate-body-slam-reporter.html
These are the witnesses the Bozeman sheriff was interviewing. “Punches,” “grabbing by the neck,” I’m guessing an arrest is forthcoming. This is NOT a misdemeanor assault.
Corner Stone
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: None of this is going to rest on the buddy buddy between the sheriff’s office and GG.
Either Quist pulls off the long shot tomorrow or this goes down the memory hole.
lamh36
@Trentrunner: Whoa….even Fox news online reporting description of the Montana incident disputes the candidates “liberal” media bullshit statement.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Fox News is Eyewitness News tonight!
JPL
uhoh.. Fox news was there
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/24/greg-gianforte-fox-news-team-witnesses-gop-house-candidate-body-slam-reporter.html
Much more violent than Jacobs reported. hmmm
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Corner Stone: Nope, just struck my ear. Even now, I wouldn’t bet more than $50 against Gianforte
Mary G
@Trentrunner: WOW!!! Fox reporters being honest, what is the world coming to? Sheriff seems like he will have to file charges now, no? IANAL, but seems pretty open & shut.
JPL
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I wonder if Fox just drops reporting about the race.
I like this paragraph
reporter
Alicia Acuna
By Alicia Acuna Published May 24, 2017 Fox News
FILE – In this March 6, 2017, file photo, Greg Gianforte, right, receives congratulations from a supporter in Helena, Mont. Montana voters are heading to the polls Thursday, May 25, 2017, to decide a nationally watched congressional election amid uncertainty in Washington over President Donald Trump’s agenda and his handling of the country’s affairs. (AP Photo/Matt Volz, File)
FILE – In this March 6, 2017, file photo, Greg Gianforte, right, receives congratulations from a supporter in Helena, Mont. Montana voters are heading to the polls Thursday, May 25, 2017, to decide a nationally watched congressional election amid uncertainty in Washington over President Donald Trump’s agenda and his handling of the country’s affairs. (AP Photo/Matt Volz, File) (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
The race to fill Montana’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives took a violent turn Wednesday, and a crew from the Fox News Channel, including myself, witnessed it firsthand.
As part of our preparation for a story about Thursday’s special election to air on “Special Report with Bret Baier,” we arranged interviews with the top two candidates, Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist. On Wednesday, I joined field producer Faith Mangan and photographer Keith Railey in Bozeman for our scheduled interview with Gianforte, which was to take place at the Gianforte for Congress Bozeman Headquarters.
Faith, Keith and I arrived early to set up for the interview in a room adjacent to another room where a volunteer BBQ was to take place. As the time for the interview neared, Gianforte came into the room. We exchanged pleasantries and made small talk about restaurants and Bozeman.
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 man, as he moved on top the reporter and began yelling something to the effect of “I’m sick and tired of this!”
Unfortunately, the sheriff just didn’t have enough information to act though.
MisterForkbeard
@Mary G: Local fox team. Probably not too involved with the larger fox org.
JPL
@MisterForkbeard: Maybe but they were covering for Bret Baier. Fox was going to do something Thursday about him, and somehow that got derailed.
hovercraft
@guachi:
A few years ago my family went on a road trip to see America, we are East Coast Elitists, we rented a minivan and drove from Jersey to Washington and then down the West Coast. After we got through Iowa we elicited a lot of stares everywhere we went, I guess 6 black people in a car was an uncommon sight for the people who gawked at us. Mount Rushmore was a diverse crowd, but other than Native Americans we really did stand out. We were very happy to get to Washington State.
Adam L Silverman
@guachi: I’ve been to Montana. I’m aware that it makes Scotland look diverse.
JPL
@JPL: more info
It wasn’t a local TV news crew that witnessed alleged assault by Gianforte, but rather @FoxNews. Read their account here. #mtalWhitney Bermes added,
Fox News team witnesses GOP House candidate Greg Gianforte ‘body slam’ reporter http://fxn.ws/2qlZ36n via @aacuna1
They probably have video, but will they show it? hmmm
danielx
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Or corporal punishment in schools.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
she also retweeted this, presumably because she thought it was a dope insight by Pudge Carlson
is it normal to hashtag yourself?
Mike J
Mike J
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Fairly normal to hashtag the name of your tv show.
Shalimar
@MisterForkbeard: Acuna is national, based out of Denver. The 3 Fox employees stayed in the room afterwards to talk and regroup, and at least one and possibly all three made it clear they weren’t going to lie to police to protect Gianforte. Thus, he is well and truly fucked. I can’t imagine any reason Jacobs wouldn’t press charges.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Mike J: ah– they couldn’t even give him an “Hour” or a “Report”? is it a dinner time show? “Tucking in with Tucker” would work, and it could play to dinner in some timezones and beddy-bies on the East Coast
Another Scott
@Somebody: That’s a pretty good way to put it, but I express it a little differently:
“The problems with America aren’t caused by poor people having too much money.”
Cheers,
Scott.
RinaX
Fox News is confirming that this happened AND that it was even worse than described? I just don’t know how to process this.
Adam L Silverman
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Hungry Man Dinnertime with Tucker Carlson would work given who Carlson is.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Another Scott: has the advantage of being an accurate description of Paul Ryan’s worldview: The poor have it too easy while the rich are suffering.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Adam L Silverman: in more ways than one…
I’m a stout gentleman myself, but my mother’s only connection with frozen foods was when she cooked them, and my father’s walking stick collection is worth about $45, both canes from Walgreen’s.
hovercraft
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
So if she had aggressively shoved a phone/recorder into Hillary’s face and Hillary had put her hands around her neck and body slammed her she wouldn’t have called the cops on her and spent the rest of her life living off of her harrowing tale about how Hillary almost murdered her? Wow what a tolerant resilient woman.
Adam L Silverman
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I was just thinking his parents, but sure, sure.
-ly Ballou
@Doug!: John Denver & Emmylou Harris – Wild Montana Skies
Aleta
Maybe mentioned already, but Ben Jacobs had a story in the Guardian at the end of April about Gianforte’s ties to Russian companies.
Shalimar
@Aleta: Gianforte asks Jacobs as he is getting back on his knees after the attack, “are you with the Guardian? the last guy did the same thing.” I assume that means getting too close to Gianforte while asking about the CBO score, but it seems unlikely “the last guy” was also with the Guardian because why would they have 2 reporters covering a race in Montana? So the Guardian was on Gianforte’s mind when he got violent.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Steeplejack
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I think the subtext is “Thanks for not being the lying shitweasels your network is famous for.”
trnc
The wave of the future for political events – the Meet and Slam.
MisterForkbeard
@trnc:
You can do better than that. “The Meet and Beat”, maybe.
trnc
If very many people in Montana are in the habit of looking at the Google News front page, Baldy is going to have a very bad day tomorrow.
Aleta
@Shalimar: I saw somewhere a video of a different Guardian reporter, at an earlier time, who tried to interview G. I’ll link it here if I see it again. First the Guardian reporter encountered a pretty hostile guy in G’s crowd who said he didn’t look British (has darker skin than the hostile guy). Then he was refused by G. who said he wasn’t American.
Aleta
@trnc: A lot of people supposedly voted before today. Don’t know how true that is.
Aleta
@Aleta:
The other Guardian reporter, Paul Lewis, questions Gianforte starting around 7:07 in this video. (May 23) He’s challenged about his skin color by a Gianforte pal; then asks Gianforte another question iirc.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/may/22/montana-election-greg-gianforte-rob-quist-trump
magurakurin
charges filed.
https://www.gallatinmedia.org/?p=4732
hitchhiker
And 2 Montana newspapers withdrew their endorsements. What else could they do? GG lost his shit in front of 3 neutral reporters, and his spokesman delivered a big fat lie to the public.
Come on, Montana peeps. Don’t send this ragey billionaire to DC!
Elizabelle
Missed this thread. I put up comments and links on it in the next one.
The Los Angeles Times has a very informative story, about the two candidates and politics in Montana as a whole.
Montana’s congressional race is about more than Trump — including an election-eve assault charge
Very worth a click.
And, GG ran lost a governor’s race last fall, to Democrat Steve Bullock, by 4 points in a year when Trump trounced Hillary by 20 points. Montana got a good look at Gianforte already.
Quisp is out there, talking about a botched surgical procedure and all the medical bills he’s faced.
ruemara
@guachi: Actually being white means a lot.
david
Amusing how so many are lamenting that so many votes have already been cast (via early voting) or in the mail.
It’s almost as if they want to… limit voting access.
You vote early, you vote uninformed. Last minute revelations or events are now the norm.