Reporter escorted out of Republican candidate's election party amid profane remarks
Anthony Constantino told a 7 News crew to leave his Amsterdam event while leading in the 21st District race.
By Mia Bennett ·
A local news crew was removed from an election night gathering in Amsterdam, New York, after Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino addressed a live television broadcast. The incident occurred Tuesday evening while Constantino was leading Democratic challenger Blake Gendebien in the race for the 21st Congressional District. The event took place in a town approximately three hours from Watertown, where the candidate had invited local media outlets to cover the night's proceedings.
Constantino spoke live on 11 p.m. news for roughly 15 minutes. During the segment, he acknowledged President Donald Trump, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and political strategist Roger Stone. He also directed criticism at what he described as the evil news media. As the speech continued, Constantino and other individuals on stage used profane language before the broadcast shifted to other regional election results.
After the initial segment, Constantino singled out Garrett Domblewski, a reporter for 7 News. He referred to Domblewski and anchor Jeff Cole as a**holes. He also directed a similar insult at a reporter from another organization. Constantino then instructed Domblewski to exit 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 he was led to the parking lot, Constantino and the remaining attendees chanted a phrase criticizing the media. Domblewski delivered a live report from outside the venue after the removal. He stated that he was unsure what specific action prompted the ejection, noting that he had conducted a cordial interview with the candidate earlier in the evening, parts of which had aired on the 10 p.m. newscast.
The candidate's team had previously emailed 7 News to confirm the crew's attendance, stating they looked forward to seeing them. The campaign invited multiple news organizations to the party. Constantino maintained his lead over Gendebien in the district race throughout the night's events.
