A Montana judge Monday sentenced congressman-elect Greg Gianforte to community service, 20 hours of anger management and a fine, but no jail time, after pleading guilty to assaulting a reporter on the eve of his election.
Gianforte, a wealthy businessman, told a packed courtroom in Bozeman, Montana that he had apologized to reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian newspaper.
Jacobs tried to ask Gianforte about the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of the Republican health care bill as Gianforte was preparing for a television interview.
Gianforte, according to Jacobs at the time, ‘body slammed’ him to the ground and broke his glasses.
‘Although it was not my intention to hurt him, I understand that Ben was injured during this contact,’ Gianforte told the court.
The 56-year-old Republican was sentenced to six months of deferred jail time, 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management sessions and $385 in fines and court fees for the misdemeanor assault that propelled him and his congressional race into the national spotlight.
‘When you make a mistake, you’ve got to take full responsibility. That’s what I’ve done today,’ Gianforte said after the hearing. ‘This was not a proud moment, but I’m ready to move on.’
Gianforte was in the awkward position of attending a court hearing on assault charges – and potentially heading to jail – just before going to Washington to be sworn in as the lone representative from Montana.
Democrats had made it a tight race, painting it as a referendum on the first months of the presidency of Donald Trump, who had carried the western state by 20 points last November. But the Republican prevailed.
Jacobs, in the courtroom and reading from a prepared statement, said he ‘was doing my job’ on May 24 when he asked the candidate a question about the health care bill working its way through Congress.
‘Mr Gianforte’s response was to slam me to the floor and start punching me. He injured my elbow, broke my glasses and thrust me into a national spotlight I did not seek or desire,’ Jacobs said.
‘I had no right to respond the way I did,’ Gianforte wrote. ‘You were doing your job.’
Last week, Gianforte of Montana issued an apology letter and said he plans to donate money to a journalism advocacy organization as part of a settlement agreement with a reporter he is accused of assaulting.
In exchange, Jacobs agreed not to sue Gianforte over the attack, and he will not object to Gianforte entering a ‘no contest’ plea to the misdemeanor assault charge the Republican faces from the May 24 encounter.
Gianforte then told Jacobs – a political reporter based in Washington, DC – to ‘get the hell out of here,’ according to an audio recording by Jacobs.
That night, Gianforte was charged with assault.
The next day, Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist to win the special congressional election to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montana’s only congressman.
Gianforte is expected to be sworn in later this month.
Gianforte’s letter says he takes full responsibility for the encounter and that Jacobs was just doing his job.
‘Notwithstanding anyone’s statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you,’ Gianforte’s letter says.
The Gianforte campaign’s initial statement the night of the encounter from spokesman Shane Scanlon blamed the ‘aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist.’
Gianforte will contribute $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists as part of the settlement.
Jacobs said in a statement that he accepts Gianforte’s apology.
‘I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the First Amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country,’ Jacobs said in his statement.
Gianforte put out a statement that said he takes full responsibility for his actions and that he and Jacobs ‘are both ready to move on.’
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.