Election Night: Candidate Orders Reporter to Leave During Live Broadcast
Republican Anthony Constantino led a chant to remove a 7 News reporter from his party in Amsterdam while thanking top GOP figures and criticizing the press.
By Amelia Gupta ·
Five or six security guards physically removed a television reporter from a Republican candidate's election night gathering on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred while the candidate was still on stage addressing a live audience.
Anthony Constantino, who was leading his Democratic opponent Blake Gendebien in the race for the 21st Congressional District, ordered Garrett Domblewski of 7 News to exit the building. At the same time, Constantino led the crowd in a chant that repeated the phrase "Kick him out." As Domblewski was escorted outside, the group chanted "F**k the evil media."
The confrontation happened during a segment that 7 News used to lead its 11 p.m. broadcast. The station aired between 15 and 16 minutes of Constantino's live address. In that speech, the candidate thanked President Donald Trump for having his back. He also offered praise to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and political strategist Roger Stone.
Constantino directed sharp criticism at "the evil news media" during the same address. After 7 News cut away from the live feed to cover other regional election results, Constantino and other individuals on stage used profanity. He then specifically targeted Domblewski and 7 News anchor Jeff Cole, calling both men a**holes. He referred to a reporter from another news organization as a "f**king a**hole."
Domblewski stated that he was unsure what prompted the candidate's sudden directive. He noted that he had conducted a cordial interview with Constantino earlier in the evening, which aired on the station's 10 p.m. newscast. Following his removal, Domblewski filed a live report from the event's parking lot.
Constantino's campaign had explicitly invited local media organizations to the party in Amsterdam, a city located about three hours from Watertown. The campaign team confirmed awareness of the 7 News crew's arrival. In an email sent to the reporters, the team wrote, "Looking forward to seeing you all."
The candidate remained the front-runner in the 21st District race at the time of the incident. The event took place on Tuesday night as results continued to come in across the region.
