Election night: Reporter escorted out of New York candidate's party
Anthony Constantino ordered a news crew to leave his Amsterdam event while he was speaking on live television.
By Sakura Ellis ·
Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino ordered a 7 News reporter and cameraman to leave his election-night party on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred while the candidate was addressing supporters and criticizing news organizations.
Constantino was leading Democratic opponent Blake Gendebien for the 21st Congressional District at the time of the event. The 7 News team had been invited to the gathering in Amsterdam, which is approximately a three-hour drive from Watertown. A campaign email sent to the media crew stated, "Looking forward to seeing you all."
The station aired 15 to 16 minutes of Constantino’s live speech to lead its 11 p.m. newscast. During the address, the candidate thanked President Donald Trump for having his back. He also acknowledged former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and political strategist Roger Stone. Constantino used the phrase "the evil news media" to describe the press corps.
Reporter Garrett Domblewski conducted a cordial interview with Constantino earlier that evening. A portion of that interview aired on the 10 p.m. newscast. Domblewski said he was unsure what prompted the candidate to single him out later in the night. While other people on stage used inappropriate language, Constantino specifically called Domblewski and 7 News anchor Jeff Cole "a**holes."
The candidate also referred to a reporter from a different organization as a "f**king a**hole." He then instructed Domblewski to leave the stage. The crowd joined the candidate in chanting, "Kick him out. Kick him out."
Five or six security guards escorted Domblewski out of the building. As the reporter was led outside, Constantino and the remaining crowd chanted, "F**k the evil media."
Dombleski reported live from the parking lot after being removed from the venue. He noted that he had previously interviewed the candidate without issue. The 7 News crew continued its coverage of regional election results after leaving the live shot.
