Congressional Candidate Gianforte And The Press
Start writing a post
Politics

Congressional Candidate Gianforte And The Press

Is assault the way to deal with tough questions?

11
Congressional Candidate Gianforte And The Press
The Missoulian

Montanans are voting today in a special election being held for the state's only seat in the House of Representatives. The seat became vacant after Ryan Zinke became the secretary of the interior for Donald Trump. The special election has been full of attacking advertisements from both candidates.

The candidates are Greg Gianforte (R) and Rob Quist (D).

Gianforte founded RightNow Technologies 20 years ago in Bozeman, Montana. The business, which has been sold, did quite well making Gianforte a multi-millionaire.

Quist , from the small town of Cut Bank, is a singer turned politician. He served on the Montana Fine Arts Council and has worked with various charities.

While Montana is an extremely conservative state, this election has started to get people talking. Especially today.

Last night, Gianforte got in an altercation with a reporter from The Guardian. Today, on voting day Montanas are looking for answers. While there is no video footage of the incident, an audio recording, and testimony from a Fox News crew that witnessed the altercation seems to corroborate the reporter, Ben Jacobs', story.


Gianforte has been cited for misdemeanor assault. According to the Flathead Beacon, If Gianforte is convicted penalties could be up to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine. He must appear before June 7 in Gallatin County Justice Court.

A statement from the Gianforte campaign told a different version of events in which Jacobs was the aggressor.

"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," Gianforte spokesperson Shane Scanlon said. "It's unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ." (Taken from an NPR article that reprinted the statement)

As a young Montanan, I am saddened to see our state in the news under such horrible circumstances. The real question that I have after hearing the tape of the incident, is why? Why did Gianforte feel like violence was the best way to deal with the situation? Why was security not called if Gianforte felt uncomfortable with how the reporter was acting?

At this point, I feel it is important to note that while polls close today, many Montanas have already cast their votes.

The main reason I personally am concerned about this incident is the treatment of the press. In this country the press in under attack. We have seen President Trump denounce the press for months now. Many news sources are connecting this even in Montana with Trump's lack of respect for the press. I strongly believe that we need the press. Individuals cannot go down to every town hall and news conference to get their questions answered by candidates. That's why we have the press. They are there to inform the public on their representatives and ask the tough questions so that the public has the answers they need to make informed decisions.

While the press is by no means perfect (are really any institutions in our country perfect?) they are important and deserve to be treated with respect.

Lastly, this reporter is a human being and deserves to be treated with the respect that all human beings deserve. Like we tell our children, violence is never the answer.

-- If you would like to stay updated on Gianforte's legal situation the Gallatin Media Center has been posting updates.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70736
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132354
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments