Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte Booked, Mugshot Not Released

BOZEMAN, MT — Gallatin County officials are refusing to release a mugshot of Montana U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, who was photographed and fingerprinted Friday.

Gianforte, 56, pleaded guilty to assaulting Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs on May 24, the eve of the special election that put him in office. Jacobs said Gianforte "body slammed" him and broke his glasses when he asked a question about legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act that passed in the U.S. House. Audio taken by Jacobs recorded the sounds of a scuffle followed by Gianforte yelling, "Get the hell out of here!"

Justice of the Peace Rick West last week ordered Gianforte, a Bozeman Republican, to be booked by Sept. 15 or be held in contempt of court. But Gallatin County Attorney Marty Lambert declined Friday to release the mug shot, which Democrats could try to use against him in next year's election. (For more information on Gianforte's case and other Bozeman stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Lambert's practice is not to release mug shots without a judge's order. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle said it filed an application in District Court Friday asking a judge to release it.

The former software executive was ordered to pay a $385 fine, complete 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling. Part of his settlement with Jacobs included a $50,000 donation to the Committee to Protect Journalists. He was given a 180-day suspended sentence, but was ordered to report to jail to be booked.

Gianforte's attorneys argued against him having to be booked because he was not formally arrested in the case.

"Greg has fulfilled the terms. The matter is resolved," Travis Hall, Gianforte's communications director, said Friday. "He remains 100 percent focused on serving the people of Montana."

Jail records indicate Gianforte's booking process took 23 minutes, beginning at 6:37 a.m. A jail spokeswoman confirmed he was booked and released.

Lee Hanson with ROC Wheels confirmed that Gianforte had completed his 40 hours of community service with the program that builds custom wheelchairs for children.

Courtney Radsch, the advocacy director for the Committee to Project Journalists, said the $50,000 donation was made soon after Gianforte was sentenced.

He also paid $4,600 for Jacobs' medical bills and travel costs to attend the June hearing. Gianforte also apologized to Jacobs in court, adding: "And if and when you're ready, I look forward to sitting down with you in D.C."

A spokeswoman for the Guardian says they're still working on that.

"Ben Jacobs first reached out to Congressman Gianforte for an on-the-record interview on June 22 and has been in ongoing communication with his office since then. So far, the Congressman has yet to commit to this interview," a spokeswoman said. "However, in light of his promise to sit down for an interview with Ben in the courtroom before being sentenced on June 12, we fully expect the Congressman to be a man of his word."

Hall, Gianforte's spokesman, said: "We've offered times for Ben to sit down with Greg in September."

By AMY BETH HANSON, Associated Press

Photo credit: Freddy Monares/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP