Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 5:19AM | 
MENU
Advertisement
Republican candidate for Montana's only U.S. House seat, Greg Gianforte, sits in a vehicle Wednesday in Bozeman, Mont. A reporter said Gianforte
1
MORE

Three Montana newspapers pull endorsements of candidate charged with assaulting reporter

Freddy Monares/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

Three Montana newspapers pull endorsements of candidate charged with assaulting reporter

Three Montana newspapers Thursday rescinded their endorsements of Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte after he was charged overnight with assaulting a reporter.

Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault for grabbing reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian by the neck and throwing him to the ground.

Montana's special House election takes place Thursday. Mr. Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist, who has not commented on the incident, are seeking to fill the state’s seat in the U.S. House left vacant when Ryan Zinke resigned to join Trump’s Cabinet as secretary of the Interior Department.

Advertisement

During the day on Wednesday, Mr. Gianforte took to Twitter to celebrate his endorsements from the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette and the Independent Record.

But within hours, newspapers in Missoula, Billings and Helena had changed their minds and rescinded their endorsements of Mr. Gianforte:

In rescinding its endorsement, the Billings Gazette said: “We simply cannot trust him. ... Eyewitness accounts, law enforcement investigations and records are all shocking, disturbing and without precedent. ... We will not stand by that kind of violence, period.

“We believe that you cannot love America, love the Constitution, talk about the importance of a free press and then pummel a reporter.”

Advertisement

In withdrawing its endorsement, the Helena Independent Record said “We cannot condone that kind of violence. .. We are also sick and tired – of Gianforte’s incessant attacks on the free press. In the past, he has encouraged his supporters to boycott certain newspapers, singled out a reporter in a room to point out that he was outnumbered, and even made a joke out of the notion of choking a news writer, and these are not things we can continue to brush off.”

“We take our endorsements seriously and retracting an endorsement even more seriously, but we cannot in good faith continue to support this candidate,” the Helena Independent Record said.

House Democrats released a digital ad featuring the audio recording, and Republicans were wondering what to do with a candidate who suddenly had a court date next month.

Washington-based Republicans were already grumbling about having to spend millions of dollars on behalf of Mr. Gianforte, who is a multimillionaire.

First Published: May 25, 2017, 11:47 a.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) slides after making a first down and is hit by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) and safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Pittsburgh.
1
sports
Gerry Dulac: Steelers might not have to run far to find next year's QB
Sen. John Fetterman arrives for the inauguration ceremony where Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th  President in the United States on Jan. 20, 2025.
2
news
'Democracy for sale' or a 'Golden Age': Pa. lawmakers respond to President Donald Trump's inauguration
As a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus was lifted to be towed, smoke started to billow as a fire restarted on 5Th ave on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Oakland.
3
news
Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus catches fire in Oakland
A City of Pittsburgh River Rescue boat navigates through ice on the Allegheny River Downtown on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Pittsburgh is under a cold weather advisory until Wednesday.
4
news
Pittsburgh's deep freeze has arrived — but the coldest temps are still to come
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium announced the death of a 17-year-old Masai giraffe named Sox. The zoo said Sox was euthanized on Jan. 17, 2025.
5
local
Pittsburgh zoo announces death of 17-year-old giraffe Sox
Republican candidate for Montana's only U.S. House seat, Greg Gianforte, sits in a vehicle Wednesday in Bozeman, Mont. A reporter said Gianforte "body-slammed" him Wednesday, the day before the special election.  (Freddy Monares/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP)
Freddy Monares/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP
Advertisement
LATEST news
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story