Jacobs was attempting to ask the candidate to state a position on the Republican healthcare plan.
Secor described the interview: He then went on to explain I probably shouldnt do it but I reached out for his phone he grabbed my wrist, he spun, and we ended up on the floor so he pulled me down on top of him Gianforte said the liberal media is trying to make a story.
The police report also reveals the preoccupation of Gianforte and his campaign staff with the Guardian, which had previously published a video documentary about the special election. The video included two occasions when Gianforte refused to answer questions from a different Guardian reporter, Paul Lewis.
Gianfortes scheduler, Kerri Lin Seekins-Crow, told investigators that Gianforte and Scanlon had discussed having multiple problems with both the Guardian and BuzzFeed reports in the past because they have been duplicitous and very aggressive while driving from the airport earlier that day.
Gianfortes driver, Joshua Elle, told investigators that on at least three other occasions reporters from the Guardian had approached Gianforte in a brash or aggressive manner.
Elle added that during the drive to the Bozeman campaign event, Gianforte and Scanlon had decided not to give Jacobs an interview based primarily on negative coverage Gianforte had received from Guardian journalists in the past.
The report states that Elle witnessed Jacobs and Gianforte on the ground, and it appeared as though Gianforte was striking the reporter with closed fists. He later reported seeing Jacobs with two purple marks on the right side of his face.