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.
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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.
