Body-slamming Montana congressman plays the victim in fundraising pitch
Montana’s Republican congressman entered the national consciousness explosively when he body-slammed Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs on the evening before his special election, only to be elected anyway. Facing a misdemeanor assault charge, Gianforte offered an insincere apology and then spent over a month fighting with a local judge over the requirement to report to booking […]
Montana’s Republican congressman entered the national consciousness explosively when he body-slammed Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs on the evening before his special election, only to be elected anyway.
Facing a misdemeanor assault charge, Gianforte offered an insincere apology and then spent over a month fighting with a local judge over the requirement to report to booking for a mugshot and fingerprinting, which he ultimately lost.
Adding insult to injury, Gianforte has repeatedly blown off plans for an on-the-record interview with the reporter he body-slammed.
But to hear it from Gianforte, he is the real victim in all of this.
Having assumed office, Gianforte has already begun his fundraising pitch for re-election in 2018, and his latest email to supporters is eye-catching for a few reasons:
Gianforte fundraising pitch: 'We are just coming off a bruising campaign and we must immediately face another race.' pic.twitter.com/tTufbUHzWx
— Matt Volz (@mattvolz) August 30, 2017
First, given the circumstances surrounding his election, Gianforte should not pretend that he has in any way been persecuted.
Second, Gianforte’s not-so-subtle use of the word “bruising” comes off as an inappropriate way to glamorize his criminal behavior. Particularly considering that polls show plenty of Republicans were outright supportive of what he did. After first lying about the assault, Gianforte belatedly apologized to Jacobs for attacking him. But the gloating reminder of his attack in his fundraising email certainly suggests Gianforte wasn’t so sorry after all.
Gianforte has degraded his office. And his latest appeal to his donors reveals he does not care in the least about it.
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