“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough said Republican candidate Greg Gianforte’s assault on a reporter Wednesday night isn’t surprising “in the age of Trump,” and warned President Trump’s “words have consequences.”
“All three papers overnight took their endorsements away from this Republican guy,” Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, said Thursday of the press reaction in Montana. “It’s that incredible. A guy assaults a reporter, which I guess shouldn’t be too surprising in the age of Trump where he calls the press ‘enemy of the people.’ Their reckless words have consequences.”
Gianforte allegedly “body-slammed” and punched Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs after Jacobs asked him questions about the CBO’s score of the House GOP’s healthcare bill.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office cited Gianforte for misdemeanor assault following the incident, which took place at Gianforte’s campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Mont.
Gianforte is running in a special election to replace Ryan Zinke, President Trump’s interior secretary. His Democratic challenger, Rob Quist, wouldn’t comment on the incident in Bozeman.
The special election is Thursday.
