Meet Ben Jacobs, The Reporter Who Got Body-Slammed By Montana House Candidate
Image by Facebook
Ben Jacobs earned a strange distinction on Wednesday night as he became the first reporter in recent memory to be physically assaulted by a candidate for Congress. Working for the United States edition of The Guardian, Jacobs was body-slammed by Montana House hopeful Greg Gianforte, who erupted in rage after Jacobs asked him a question about health policy. Here’s what we know about the the reporter himself.
1. Trained As An Attorney
Jacobs attended Grinnell College in Iowa and then received a law degree from Duke University. Jacobs has been active in covering political developments on the ground in Iowa – and his alma mater featured a retrospective article he wrote about the state’s famous caucus.
2. Based In Washington, D.C.
After the incident, which has led to misdemeanor assault charges against Gianforte, radio host Laura Ingraham insinuated on Twitter that a “real Montana man” would have fought back. But Jacobs isn’t from Montana. He works out of Washington, D.C. and was in the state to cover the closer-than-usual special election, widely seen as a gauge of President Trump’s popularity.
3. Wide Repertoire
Before his stint with The Guardian, Jacobs worked for The Daily Beast, and has freelanced for a number of publications including New Republic, Atlantic, Salon and the Boston Globe.
4. Just The Facts
After his assault, Jacobs reported the incident on Twitter with a “just the facts” tone. It was a serious enough injury that he was hospitalized and X-rayed for bone damage.
Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [solomon@forward.com}(mailto:solomon@forward.com] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
