Records show Greg Gianforte misled police on reporter incident

Rep. Greg Gianforte falsely told the police that Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs initiated physical contact with him the night before Montana's election, according to the Guardian.

Why it matters: Gianforte's campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon had blamed Jacobs for the incident, in which Gianforte body slammed him and broke his glasses. And while Gianforte later wrote in a letter to Jacobs that "you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you," the police incident report shows that he blamed Jacobs for "trying to make a story." Gianforte eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge.