Montana lawmaker who attacked reporter to advise GOP aides

Greg Gianforte’s official portrait for the 115th congress. (Photo By Franmarie Metzler – U.S. House Office of Photography, Public Domain)

DENVER— Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte will advise a group of Republican aides on how to hire good personnel nine months after he assaulted a reporter and his campaign spokesman made false statements about the attack.

Gianforte, a Republican, is scheduled to make the presentation on Feb. 13 in Washington to a Republican “communicators” group.

The regular gathering of GOP press aides is being expanded to include congressional legislative directors and chiefs of staff so they can hear advice from Gianforte, a former technology entrepreneur who was first elected to Congress last year.

“As someone who has built two highly successful companies from the ground up, Congressman Gianforte has valuable insight on this subject and we appreciate his willingness to share his expertise,” said Matt Gorman, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which organized the event.

Gianforte pleaded guilty to misdemeanour assault for body-slamming reporter Ben Jacobs of the Guardian the night before the state’s special election.

His campaign spokesman at the time falsely accused Jacobs of starting the violence. Gianforte also falsely told police that Jacobs grabbed him.