Montana GOP candidate charged with assault

Montana’s Republican House candidate Greg Gianforte has been charged with a misdemeanor assault for grabbing a reporter and throwing him to the ground. Campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon said Gianforte was preparing for an interview with Fox News in a private office Wednesday when Ben Jacobs, a reporter with The Guardian, walked in to ask him about the Republican health care bill. Fox reporter Alicia Acuna, who witnessed the incident, later wrote in an article that Jacobs persisted with his question and the Fox team watched in disbelief as Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him to the ground. The Republican candidate began to punch the reporter, she added. Gianforte and Democratic candidate Rob Quist both are vying in today’s election to fill the House seat that became vacant when Ryan Zinke left to assume the role of secretary of the interior. The county sheriff’s office said Gianforte has until June 7 to appear in court.

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