Greg Gianforte

criminal-violent · 2017-05-24 · Gallatin County Justice Court, Montana; Gallatin County Sheriff's Office · Pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. Sentenced to 180-day deferred sentence, $385 fine ($300 fine + $85 court fee), 40 hours community service, 20 hours anger management counseling. Paid $4,464.97 restitution to Jacobs for medical expenses (broken glasses). Eligible to petition for record dismissal after 180 days of law-abiding conduct.

Sources: Montana Public Radio · CBS News · NBC News · CNN

criminal-violent · 2017-05-24 · Civil negotiation between parties (Gianforte and Ben Jacobs) · Gianforte paid $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists and wrote Jacobs a letter of apology acknowledging he assaulted the reporter 'for asking a legitimate question about health care policy.' Jacobs released all civil claims and agreed not to object to a no-contest plea (Gianforte ultimately entered a guilty plea). Separate from the $4,464.97 restitution paid through the criminal case.

Sources: Newsweek · Law & Crime · HotAir

campaign-finance · 2020-05-15 · Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (Commissioner Jeff Mangan) · Commissioner Jeff Mangan issued a formal finding on October 20, 2020 that Gianforte's campaign violated Montana campaign finance law in two respects: (1) transferring approximately $181,000 from the primary account to the general election account before paying $1.58 million in primary debts (including $1.55 million in personal loans Gianforte made to his own campaign); and (2) continuing to raise money for primary debt repayment after the transfer. The Commissioner referred the matter to the county prosecutor. No subsequent criminal prosecution is documented; the campaign was ordered to return or refund the funds.

Sources: Flathead Beacon · NBC Montana (KECI) · Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (LaBrèche v. Gianforte decision PDF)

abuse-of-office · 2021-11-29 · The Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) and Earthworks requested records on November 29, 2021 from Governor Gianforte's office and the Montana Department of Administration concerning communications with Hecla Mining Company/CEO Phillips S. Baker Jr. and the administration's decision to drop a 'bad actor' enforcement case against the company under Montana's hardrock mining law. The Governor's office and the department refused to produce the records. In 2023, a Montana district court ruled that the Governor's office and the Department of Administration had illegally denied access to public records in violation of the state constitution's 'right to know' provision, and issued a writ of mandamus ordering release of the records within six weeks, but denied the plaintiffs' request for attorney's fees. Plaintiffs appealed the fee denial. On May 29, 2025, the Montana Supreme Court (4-3) reversed that part of the ruling, holding that parties who prevail in right-to-know litigation are entitled to a presumption toward an award of attorney's fees, and remanded for calculation of fees. Governor Gianforte was named in his official capacity; the case does not allege personal criminal wrongdoing. · District court found the Governor's office and a state department had illegally withheld public records and ordered their release; Montana Supreme Court later held the plaintiffs are entitled to a presumption of attorney's-fee recovery, overturning the lower court's denial of fees, and remanded for a fee award to be calculated.

Sources: Montana Environmental Information Center · Earthworks · Daily Montanan

abuse-of-office · 2023-03 · In March 2023, the Governor's Advisory Council for the Ninth Judicial District Vacancy — a body created under Gianforte-backed 2021 legislation replacing the former Judicial Nominating Commission — met in Conrad, Montana to review judicial candidates and closed the entire meeting to the public, citing candidate privacy. Choteau Acantha Publishing and Montana Free Press sued, arguing the blanket closure violated Montana's open meetings law. A district court ruled for the media outlets in early 2024, and on April 22, 2025 the Montana Supreme Court unanimously affirmed, holding that privacy concerns cannot justify a categorical closure of such proceedings and that any closure must be supported by specific, case-by-case justification. The ruling did not overturn the resulting judicial appointment. Gianforte, in his official capacity as Governor, was the named respondent given his statutory authority over the advisory council; he was not personally accused of wrongdoing. · Montana Supreme Court affirmed a district court ruling that the advisory council's blanket closure of its judicial-vacancy review meeting violated the state's open meetings law; the appointment already made was not overturned.

Sources: Montana Free Press · FindLaw (Montana Supreme Court case archive)