Thread: Gianforte elected to U.S. House; apologizes to reporter

Gianforte elected to U.S. House; apologizes to reporter

Posted: May 26, 2017 12:00 AM CDTUpdated: May 26, 2017 12:07 AM CDT

MISSOULA -Republican Greg Gianforte has defeated Democrat Rob Quist and Libertarian Mark Wicks in Montana’s special congressional election.

During his acceptance speech in Bozeman, Gianforte said that his campaign won a victory "for all Montanans."

He also said, "Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi can't call the shots here in Montana."

Gianforte then addressed the incident that happened on Wednesday night, in which he assaulted reporter Ben Jacobs.

He said, "I learned a lesson. I need to share something from my heart. Last night I made a mistake and I took an action that I can't take back. I'm not proud of what happened. For that I'm sorry. I should not have treated that reporter that way, and for that, I am sorry, Ben Jacobs."

He also apologized to the Fox News team that was present during the incident.

With more than 320,000 votes counted more than two hours after polls closed, Gianforte led Quist by more than 22,000 votes, or 51 percent to 44 percent. Wicks had the remaining 6 percent.

Gianforte will replace Ryan Zinke in the U.S. House; Zinke left the job several months to become the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Montana voters went to the polls Thursday to choose their only U.S. House representative, in a race marred by an assault charge filed the eve before the election against Gianforte.

Gianforte, a 56-year-old software entrepreneur from Bozeman, allegedly grabbed and punched a reporter Wednesday evening at a campaign event, as the reporter tried to question him over the GOP’s national health-care bill.

Gallatin County officials cited Gianforte for misdemeanor assault Wednesday and, since then, Gianforte hasn’t spoken to any media or issued any statements beyond a disputed account of the exchange between himself and Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.

But at least 260,000 votes had been cast absentee before the incident occurred, and Republicans said Thursday they sensed that the altercation hadn’t made much difference – even in the face of intense national, state and even international coverage of the election and alleged assault.

Gianforte was expected to address supporters at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman Thursday night, possibly after the race was called in his favor.

In the voting, Quist had done well in Democratic strongholds like Missoula, Helena and Bozeman – but Gianforte held a big lead in Billings, the state’s biggest city, and a led in usually Democratic Cascade County (Great Falls).

Gianforte also was rolling up huge margins in the state’s rural counties – an area where Quist, a country singer, had hoped he could fare better.

Gianforte is opposed by Democrat Quist, a songwriter and musician, and Wicks, a farmer from Inverness. The contest for Montana’s sole U.S. House seat began after Republican Ryan Zinke resigned in March, when he became U.S. Interior secretary.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., both have said that Gianforte should apologize for his actions.

Yet Ryan said Thursday the people of Montana would decide their next congressman, and declined to say they shouldn’t vote for Gianforte.

Most polls had shown Gianforte with a lead at least in the single digits going into Wednesday.

Whether Gianforte’s widely reported altercation with Jacobs may influence the final outcome remains to be seen.

At least two-thirds of the expected votes – some 260,000 – have already been cast, by absentee ballots that can’t be changed.

That means anywhere from a third to a fourth of the overall vote will happen at the polls Thursday.

Political scientists have said the turnout on Election Day tends to lean Republican.

Jeremy Johnson, an associate professor of political science at Carroll College, told MTN News the big question is whether that dynamic changes.

He said less committed Gianforte supporters could stay home Thursday, or other voters could be motivated to come out for Quist or Wicks. But whether those effects are enough to sway the outcome is a guessing game, he said.

Quist remained mum about the incident, saying only that it’s in the hands of law enforcement, and spent the day in Missoula, where he’s having an election-night party of his own.

http://www.kpax.com/story/35522773/g...ecial-election

Greg Gianforte VICTORY FULL SPEECH, Montana 5/25/2017



Published on May 25, 2017
Republican Greg Gianforte has won a special election for Montana’s sole seat in the House of Representatives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6znwpagLBw0

The media is not talking about this, all the noise is about Gianforte and the reporter.

FEC Complaint Filed Against Rob Quist for Illegal Coordination With Outside Group

Democratic U.S. Congressional candidate Rob Quist / Getty Images

BY: Madeleine Weast
May 25, 2017 12:35 pm

A complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission against Montana House Democratic candidate Rob Quist says he illegally coordinated with an unregistered political committee that distributed newspaper inserts aimed at reaching undecided voters.

The complaint was triggered by a Bozeman Daily Chronicle report on the newspaper insert, which was crafted by a group of Montana writers supporting Quist. The report states that the creators of the insert consulted with the Quist campaign on where it would most effectively reach undecided voters.

The 24-page paid insert, which can be viewed at WeTakeOurStand.org, is described on the website as "a rapid response anthology of Montana writers speaking out in favor of protecting public lands to support Democratic candidate Rob Quist."

It includes original writing and photography from forty contributors and public figures, such as a poem printed in the shape of a tornado by former U.S. congressman Pat Williams on protecting public lands. The group says that it raised nearly $10,000 to distribute the insert.

Joe Dooling, chairman of the Lewis & Clark County Republican Central Committee, filed the complaint with the FEC, stating that Quist's campaign illegally coordinated with the group and that the group failed to register its $10,000 worth of fundraising that was used to benefit Quist.

The complaint says the filing should be considered a "coordinated public communication," citing "material involvement" by the campaign in offering guidance on where to place the insert.

The coordination qualifies the money put towards the insert as a $10,000 in-kind contribution to the Quist campaign, according to the complaint, which goes on to point out that $10,000 is far beyond contribution limits set by federal law.

"Consulting with the Quist campaign to determine where to target the newspaper inserts falls squarely within the regulations," the complaint states.

"These respondents, including the Quist campaign, have utterly, willfully and knowingly disregarded the provisions of federal law enacted to protect the public from dark money, shadowy, and unaccountable organizations who disseminate campaign materials in the closing days before an election, without providing the legally required notice of the sources and amounts of the funds used to pay for such materials," the complaint says in its conclusion.

The website thanks a list of sponsors for the insert, but does not disclose details on any of their contributions. The group does not appear to be registered with the FEC.

The Quist campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

The Montana special election to fill U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's former seat will take place on Thursday.

http://freebeacon.com/politics/fec-c...outside-group/

So glad Republican Gianforte won the special election!! Great job! No, you shouldn't have lost your temper with the rude and pushy reporter, but to me, he shouldn't have been in your office to begin with and he should have left the first time you asked him. Nice apology, and so sorry you have assault charges. I hope they're dropped or reduced or something. When reporters trespass it's no different than anyone else violating your space and privacy.

RNC Chair: Gianforte Won Because of His Support of Trump & Draining the Swamp

May 26, 2017 5 pm

Republican Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist on Thursday night in a race for Montana's lone seat in the House of Representatives, despite being charged Wednesday with assaulting a reporter.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on "Your World" today that they're going to let the legal process play out, but there's no doubt that Gianforte's outspoken support of President Trump helped carry him to victory under difficult circumstances.

"Gianforte, who was down four points when he ran for governor last November, just wrapped himself around President Trump," McDaniel said. "He talked about President Trump and draining the swamp this entire race, and he ended up winning this congressional special [election]."

She said this goes the show the enthusiasm the American people have for Trump and his agenda.

http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/05/2...resident-trump

She said this goes to show the enthusiasm the American people have for Trump and his agenda.

Yes, I think so too!!