As Twitchy reported, word is that Republicans are planning to make the 2018 elections a referendum on the media, tapping into “public hatred of reporters” to win votes.
To be certain, some were less than sympathetic when Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs tweeted that he’d been body-slammed by then-candidate Greg Gianforte in Montana. All eyes turned to the special election there, with quite a few journalists unhappy to hear from voters that the incident hadn’t affected their votes.
At least in this particular instance, things seem to have been smoothed over. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday issued an apology to the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs, who accepted. Gianforte also contributed $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
BREAK: New Rep. Gianforte to pay $50,000 to the Commitee to Protect Journalists in civil settlement for assaulting @Bencjacobs
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) June 8, 2017
GIANFORTE APOLOGY letter to Ben Jacobs pic.twitter.com/7PiZb4on4E
— Sam Stein (@samstein) June 8, 2017
Just got a statement in my inbox from @Bencjacobs accepting Gianforte's apology for body slam.
— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) June 8, 2017
.@benjacobs statement: pic.twitter.com/TlYJjVCl3T
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) June 8, 2017
Hopefully good buddy Ben got some new eyeglasses out of this deal https://t.co/qZIwyc9NN0
— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) June 8, 2017
dude might have thrown him a $125 gift certificate to Lens Crafters too, jerk….
— Dennis Herring (@dcherring) June 8, 2017
The least he could do is invite Ben to punch him in the nuts. Twice.
— larryleclair (@larryleclair) June 8, 2017
The law of the jungle demands this remedy.
— Clay C. (@ClayC1969) June 8, 2017
Thus has it always been.
— larryleclair (@larryleclair) June 8, 2017
That's pretty amazing. Not a fan of his policies, but he sounds sincere. Kudos to @gianforte for his admission and apology.
— PhysicsMom1 (@physicsmom1) June 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/DianaSpatz/status/872629427997294592
Well, at the very least, this is a real apology. A rare bird in our times.
— Father Merrin (@FatherMerrin) June 8, 2017
Excellent letter. Sincere in tone. I like they way he went on about the role of the press.
Oh, he should go to jail for assault too.— Andrew Dyer (@biffy7) June 8, 2017
Well, he's probably still a lunatic, but the dude knows how to write an apology. #wordsMatter
— Jettero Fletcher (@internetrambo) June 8, 2017
No, his lawyer knows how to write an apology.
— wendymr ?? ?? (@wendymrisme) June 8, 2017
Yeah, probably! He knows how to sign his name at the bottom of a good apology.;)
— Jettero Fletcher (@internetrambo) June 8, 2017
I could do without all the legitimization he gave to the unforgivable conduct of todays "journalists" but that was a good and deserved sorry
— Kevin McNamee (@C4Mac) June 8, 2017
Is that an apology or a settlement?
— Madeline Donohue (@MaddyDono) June 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/ProphetOfEndor/status/872628199427104768
He apologized and donated to a worthy organization. Considering everything else, let’s move on. And keep an eye on him.
— Marty Blow (@martyblow) June 8, 2017
Come on guys, it's a good and thoughtful letter. Why are we so totally cynical? And I hope Ben accepts it as being sincere – done.
— Doug Johnson Sr. (@dougiejohnson51) June 8, 2017
* * *
Related:
‘This is ridiculous’! Ben Jacobs donates Gianforte’d glasses to Newseum https://t.co/Hy6PTeRjtN
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 30, 2017
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