You don't have to know much about Montana's GOP congressional candidate Greg Gianforte to realize he's a direct political descendent of Donald Trump: an entitled millionaire who's accountable to no one and considers himself above the law.
Look no further than the altercation last night in which Gianforte wrapped his hands around the neck of a reporter who dared ask him a question he'd been dodging for months: Does he support the House healthcare repeal bill, especially after the Congressional Budget Office determined it would deprive 23 million Americans of health insurance while pricing many more with pre-existing conditions out of the market altogether?
That question was the straw that broke the camel's back. Reporters don't have the right to ask and, no, voters don't have the right to know because: He's Greg Gianforte, millionaire!
As Gianforte grabbed Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs by the neck and threw him down to the ground, he screamed, "I'm sick and tired of you guys! [...] Get the hell out of here! The last guy did the same thing!”
As in, ask a question?
"You with the Guardian?" Gianforte demanded to know after physically and verbally assaulting Jacobs.
A telling inquiry.
The Guardian was the focus of Gianforte's ire precisely because the outlet had uncovered the fact that Gianforte held shares in two Russian companies—Gazprom and Rosneft—that the U.S. had sanctioned in the wake of Russia's incursion of Crimea.
The piece, written by Jacobs, was very responsibly reported, including ample space for a response from Gianforte's campaign and the observations of a state department employee who said the shares from an index fund were both noteworthy but also nothing to "freak out about."
Still, he's Greg Gianforte, millionaire! Damn the voters. What right do the little people have to know?
After Gianforte body slammed Jacobs Wednesday night, his campaign put out a statement that was wildly inconsistent with audio of the candidate completely losing it and unloading on Jacobs.
Jacobs, it claimed, had "aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face, and began asking badgering questions." In other words, Jacobs had brazenly dared to report and that was out of line. After all, he's Greg Gianforte, millionaire! Who’s Jacobs to try to inform the people?
Local Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna who witnessed the attack saw it differently.
“Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him.”
Ultimately, Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault, proving he had out-and-out lied about the event while issuing no apology and admitting absolutely no wrongdoing whatsoever. He's Greg Gianforte—mere mortals who approach him will get what they deserve.
This is exactly the type of GOP candidate Trump has bred. Insanely rich, entitled and unaccountable while claiming himself a man of the people—people who, by the way, have no right to know what he actually thinks or would do, if elected.
On a private phone call with conservative lobbyists, Gianforte had cheered House passage of the healthcare bill so that Republicans could move on to things that really matter: tax cuts (or should we say, more tax cuts?). Because millionaires don't worry much about healthcare insurance—not only do they have coverage, they could easily afford any care at any cost that might cure what ails them.
The Gianfortes of the world—perhaps once constrained by basic measures of decency like not assaulting people—have now graduated into an environment where they can really let it all hang out. Trump built that.
Reporters aren't people—they're the enemy. Facts don't matter—they're fungible depending on the hour or the mood. Campaign promises are as slippery as the wind.
So yeah, when a reporter who's an enemy of the people is annoyingly asking policy questions that voters have no right to know and won't matter anyway, punch that pesky journalist and then lie about it. As a supporter of Democratic candidate Rob Quist observed at an election-eve rally in Missoula:
“Greg thinks he’s Donald Trump,” said Brent Morrow, 60. “He thinks he could shoot a guy on Fifth Avenue and get away with it.”
Gianforte may get away with it despite the fact that every major newspaper in the state withdrew their endorsements of him. Due to early voting, most voters in Montana had already cast their vote by the time Gianforte saw fit to attack a lowly reporter who rubbed him the wrong way.
If Gianforte prevails, what a disgrace. What a disgrace for the state of our politics. What a disgrace for our country that after elevating a bonafide idiot who's putting our nation at risk to the highest office in the land, we have now paved the way for the likes of Greg Gianforte to follow in the footsteps of that ugly success.
Why would someone like him even seek office, let alone be rewarded with it? Perhaps he's confused being a "public servant" with being a "public assailant." After all, what's the difference in the age of Trump anyway?