Montana Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte reportedly "body slammed" Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs during an interview after being pressed for his opinion on the CBO healthcare score. Gianforte is the Republican candidate in Thursday's special election for Montana's open U.S. House seat.
"I'm sick and tired of you guys! The last time you came in here you did the same thing. Get the hell out of here! Get the hell out of here!
Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017
Jacobs told MSNBC's Chris Hayes that he was trying to ask Gianforte about the Congressional Budget Office's financial analysis of the Republican health care plan when "the next thing I know, I'm being body-slammed."
"He's on top of me. My glasses are broken," Jacobs said. "It's the strangest thing that's happened in my entire life reporting."
Jacobs said he fell on his elbow and was waiting to be X-rayed.
The Guardian has released the audio of the event…
NBC News reports that , in a statement, Shane Scanlon, a spokesman for Gianforte's campaign, alleged that Jacobs crashed an interview Gianforte was giving another reporter "and began asking badgering questions," adding that "Jacobs was asked to leave."
"Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face," Scanlon said.
"Jacobs grabbed Greg's wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground.
"It's unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ," he said.
The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office and and representatives of the state Republican Party didn't immediately respond to NBC News' requests for comment.
The question is – was the video more like this…
@Bencjacobs This is a body slam. Did this happen? http://pic.twitter.com/5NHBSQlC6p
— Kristopher Tapley (@kristapley) May 24, 2017
Or this…
@kristapley @Bencjacobs Probably like this http://pic.twitter.com/aW9Xn3znh2
— Hman(Harold Romero) (@H_man78) May 24, 2017
But on a more serious note, it appears the constant tensions between a liberal media and not-liberal politicians is reaching a tipping point.
via http://ift.tt/2qXNMuJ Tyler Durden