--- description: The Republican Montana Congressman-elect gave a "sincere apology" to Ben Jacobs and pledged $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists title: Congressman-Elect Apologizes for 'Body Slamming' Reporter image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2bcc51b28df1caeb/6988d0c5cd1bba6f337058f4/gettyimages-687332186.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Congress](/tag/congress/) ## Congress Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Congressman-Elect Greg Gianforte Has Apologized for 'Body Slamming' a Reporter by [Kevin Lui](/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 8, 2017 3:28 AM CUT  Greg Gianforte at a campaign event in Great Falls, Montana. on May 23, 2017. Greg Gianforte at a campaign event in Great Falls, Montana. on May 23, 2017.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images by [Kevin Lui](/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 8, 2017 3:28 AM CUT Greg Gianforte, the Montana Republican elected last month to the state’s open House seat following [a physical brawl](http://time.com/4793561/greg-gianforte-ben-jacobs-guardian-body-slam/ "undefined") with journalist Ben Jacobs, has apologized over the incident and pledged to give $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “I write to express my sincere apology for my conduct on the evening of May 24,” Gianforte wrote in [an email](https://www.scribd.com/document/350685936/Gianforte-letter#from%5Fembed "undefined") to Jacobs, a reporter for the _Guardian,_ which first [reported](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/07/greg-gianforte-ben-jacobs-assault-case-civil-settlement?CMP=share%5Fbtn%5Ftw "undefined") on Gianforte’s attempt to reconcile. He was alleged to have “body-slammed” Jacobs and broken his glasses after being asked about his stance on [healthcare](http://time.com/4793159/health-care-bill-cbo-score-republicans/ "undefined"). “My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful,” he wrote, adding that his interaction with Jacobs didn’t meet the “high standard” someone in his position should be held to. “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 continued. “I take full responsibility.” The Congressman-elect added in his apology that his donation to CPJ comes “in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events.” Jacobs said in a statement that he fully accepted Gianforte’s apology, the _Guardian_ reports. “I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the first amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country,” Jacobs said. Gianforte [currently faces](http://time.com/4795144/greg-gianforte-ben-jacobs-misdemeanor-assault/ "undefined") a misdemeanor assault charge over the incident. \[[_Guardian_](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/07/greg-gianforte-ben-jacobs-assault-case-civil-settlement?CMP=share%5Fbtn%5Ftw "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4810301/greg-gianforte-apology-ben-jacobs-assault/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4810301/greg-gianforte-apology-ben-jacobs-assault/"},"headline":"Congressman-Elect Greg Gianforte Has Apologized for 'Body Slamming' a Reporter","datePublished":"2017-06-08T03:28:07.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T05:19:09.165Z","description":"Gianforte said he \"had no right to assault\" reporter Ben Jacobs","url":"https://time.com/4810301/greg-gianforte-apology-ben-jacobs-assault/","keywords":["Congress","Media","Journalism","Montana","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2bcc51b28df1caeb/6988d0c5cd1bba6f337058f4/gettyimages-687332186.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kevin Lui","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2bcc51b28df1caeb/6988d0c5cd1bba6f337058f4/gettyimages-687332186.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GOP Congressional Candidate Greg Gianforte Campaigns In Great Falls, MT","caption":"GOP Congressional Candidate Greg Gianforte Campaigns In Great Falls, MT","creditText":"Justin Sullivan—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/congress/","name":"Congress"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4810301/greg-gianforte-apology-ben-jacobs-assault/","name":"Congressman-Elect Greg Gianforte Has Apologized for 'Body Slamming' a Reporter"}}]}] ```