Congressman Stalls On Sit-Down With Reporter He Body-Slammed

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky

By Daniel J. Solomon August 24, 2017

Ben Jacobs has still not gotten his on-the-record interview with Greg Gianforte, despite a promise from the Montana congressman to meet with the Guardian reporter after having body-slammed him in the run-up to a May special election.

“So far, the Congressman has yet to commit to this interview,” the Guardian said in a Wednesday statement. “However, in light of his promise to sit down for an interview with Ben… we fully expect the Congressman to be a man of his word.”

Gianforte was charged with assault, and was sentenced to community service and anger management classes. Gianforte wrote an apology letter, pledged to the Committee to Protect Journalists and said he would meet with Jacobs in exchange for Jacobs not taking civil action against him.

But the on-the-record meeting has still not occurred so far, despite the congressman’s office saying they’re working on arranging a meeting.

Jacobs was attacked by Gianforte after he asked the then-congressional hopeful about his stance on Medicaid. Captured on audio recording, the incident caused a national drama – though Gianforte still managed to win the congressional seat in the deeply red state.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.