Constantino Orders Reporter Out During Live Election Night Speech
A cameraman and journalist were removed from a gathering in Amsterdam while the candidate criticized the press on air.
By Harper Foster ·
Republican candidate Anthony Constantino removed a television reporter and cameraman from his election night party while addressing the crowd on a live broadcast. The incident occurred Tuesday evening in Amsterdam, New York, after the candidate was leading his Democratic opponent in preliminary results for the 21st Congressional District.
The candidate led the 11 p.m. news segment for 7 News with a 15-minute speech. During the address, he thanked President Donald Trump for supporting his campaign. He also acknowledged former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and political strategist Roger Stone. The speech turned critical as Constantino referred to the press as the evil news media.
Constantino and other speakers on stage used profanity before the network cut its live feed to cover other regional results. When the broadcast resumed, the candidate singled out 7 News reporter Garrett Domblewski. He called Domblewski and anchor Jeff Cole names, while also insulting a reporter from another organization. The candidate then ordered Domblewski to leave the venue.
The crowd joined in a chant demanding the reporter be kicked out. Five or six security guards escorted Domblewski out of the building. As the journalist was led outside, the group continued chanting against the media. Domblewski then delivered a live report from the parking lot.
Domblewski stated he did not know what triggered the removal. He noted that he had conducted a friendly interview with Constantino earlier that evening. A portion of that interview aired during the 10 p.m. newscast. The candidate’s campaign had invited 7 News and other media outlets to the event. In an email sent prior to the party, the campaign team wrote that they were looking forward to seeing the crew.
The gathering took place in Amsterdam, a location approximately three hours from Watertown. Constantino remained the leading candidate against Blake Gendebien in the 21st District race at the time of the incident. The network aired the footage of the confrontation as part of its late-night coverage.
The next scheduled step in the local election process involves the certification of final vote counts. The state board of elections will review the results to determine the official winner of the congressional seat.
