Incoming congressman Greg Gianforte is scheduled to be arraigned and sentenced in a Montana court Monday for his alleged assault of a reporter last month.
Gianforte will appear in Montana’s Gallantin County court at 10 a.m. on June 12 after being charged with misdemeanor assault of Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs, according to a court order released Thursday evening.
The incident took place on the eve of the state’s special election May 25, but did not keep the Republican candidate from winning the following day.
A tweet and voice recording of the interview indicated Gianforte “body-slammed” Jacobs to the ground after being asked a question he did not want to answer.
Gianforte issued an apology to Jacobs on Wednesday and donated $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Jacobs said he accepted the apology.
“Notwithstanding anyone’s statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you,” Gianforte wrote in a letter to Jacobs.
Gianforte faces a maximum of six months in jail, a $500 fine or both.
