Story highlights Gianforte pledges $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists

He sent Guardian reporter an apology letter Wednesday

(CNN) Greg Gianforte, the Montana congressman-elect who is accused of "body slamming" a Guardian reporter, sent a letter of apology and will plead no contest to the misdemeanor assault charge, according to documents. Gianforte also pledged to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that promotes press freedom, as part of a settlement with the journalist, Ben Jacobs, “in the hope that perhaps some good can come of these events.”

The events referred to an encounter on May 24, when Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault after Jacobs accused the politician of “body slamming” him at a campaign event. Jacobs previously said he was “body slammed” by Gianforte on the day before the May 25 special congressional election in Montana when the reporter tried to ask him a question. On Wednesday, Gianforte, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in November, issued a formal apology in which he took full responsibility for “body slamming” Jacobs after he asked him a question about the Republican health care policy. You were doing your job.”

Gianforte's apology stands in sharp contrast to the statement his campaign spokesman, Shane Scanlon, released the night of the encounter, which said it was Jacob's “aggressive behavior” that “created this scene.”

Jacobs accepted Gianforte's apology and said in a statement he hopes the incident encourages people to have more civil forms of discussion. “I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the First Amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country.”

As part of a settlement, Jacobs agreed not to sue the 56-year-old Republican and will not object to Gianforte's no-contest plea to the misdemeanor charged stemming from the May 24 incident. A crowdfunding campaign to replace them raised more than $7,500, which Jacobs had requested be donated to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Montana congressman Greg Gianforte apologizes to journalist Ben Jacobs for the alleged body slam incident that occurred on May 24, and donates US$50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.