Montana Dems send orange jumpsuit for Gianforte’s first day in Congress

The Montana Democratic Party sent an orange prison-style jumpsuit to Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) on Wednesday to mark his first day in Congress, a reference to his guilty plea last week for assaulting a reporter.

“Everyone knows you need plenty of suits to work on Capitol Hill. While millionaire Gianforte can certainly afford his own, we know he has a lot of legal fees to pay,” the party wrote on its website. 

“So, we thought we’d help him out and get him started by mailing a new suit to his office in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington. An orange jumpsuit, that is.”

{mosads}Gianforte took the oath of office on Wednesday after winning Montana’s special election last month to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

Gianforte was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling after body slamming reporter Ben Jacobs of the Guardian on the eve of the election. Gianforte was also ordered to pay a $385 fine. 

“As a convicted criminal, he will be hidden by his Leadership and not given any position of influence in Washington,” Roy Loewenstein, the spokesman for the Montana Democratic Party, said in a statement about the newest member of the House. 

“So, we got Mr. Gianforte a welcome gift to help his new colleagues identify him.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) slammed the prank in a statement, saying the Montana Democrats’ move is “sad and petty behavior.”

“The swearing-in ceremony held today is about all Montanans regaining their voice in the House of Representatives, not partisan politics. Instead, Montana Democrats are crying over spilled milk simply because they lost an election,” NRCC spokesman Jack Pandol said.

“This sad and petty behavior demonstrates exactly why voters continue to turn away from the Democratic Party and what they stand for.” 

Gianforte’s induction to the House came amid calls for more political civility after a gunman opened fire on GOP lawmakers practicing baseball last week.