A lawyer for a Guardian reporter is asking that Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and his associates discontinue claims made by a spokesman related to a physical altercation between the reporter and Gianforte earlier this year.
The letter, reported Monday by CNN, is addressed to Gianforte and his spokesman Travis Hall. It claims that Hall has made “false and defamatory” statements about Ben Jacobs, a politics reporter for the Guardian.
“On behalf of this firm’s client Benjamin Jacobs, I write to demand that Rep. Gianforte, his spokesman, Mr. Hall, and all other persons working for or affiliated with Rep. Gianforte or his campaign immediately cease and desist from making any further false and defamatory statements about Mr. Jacobs,” the letter says.
The Associated Press reported earlier this month that Gianforte had initially misled authorities about the May 23 altercation, after official related documents said that Gianforte claimed that Jacobs had instigated a fight.
Jacobs and other eyewitnesses said that Gianforte had knocked him to the ground after Jacobs had attemped to ask the then-candidate about healthcare.
Gianforte subsequently admitted fault in a letter to Jacobs, who accepted an apology.
New: @Bencjacobs sends cease & desist to Rep. Gianforte and his spox after recent statements denying that Gianforte initially misled police regarding what he later pleaded guilty to (assault) pic.twitter.com/FtDX9JnSiU
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) November 27, 2017
But Gianforte’s spokesman, when contacted by the AP for the Nov. 17 report, said that the newly public documents did not prove the congressman misled authorities at the time.
“No one was misled, and anyone who says otherwise is mistaken,” Hall said. “Greg took responsibility for his actions and is focused on serving the people of Montana.”
Jacobs’ lawyer called on Gianforte and his associates to not make similar statements in the future, deeming them “unacceptable and actionable.”
