Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke has demanded that his 2022 primary opponent’s ‘aggressive’ husband apologize after he allegedly punched a member of his staff over the weekend.
According to Zinke’s retelling of the scuffle, Mary Todd’s husband Rick was seen tearing down his campaign signs at the Montana GOP kick-off in Helena, Mont. on Saturday.
Campaign staff asked Todd to leave and he ‘grew aggressive’ and ‘tried to forcibly pull the sign from my staff’s hands while yelling at my staff and other witnesses,’ Zinke said.
‘Todd then punched a member of my staff, who promptly left the situation with witnesses as Mr. Todd yelled at event staff and other witnesses who were attempting to get him to walk away.’
Rep. Ryan Zinke has demanded that his 2022 primary opponent’s ‘aggressive’ husband apologize after he allegedly punched a member of his staff over the weekend
Zinke said Todd then ‘aggressively’ approached his staff to apologize and was again asked to leave.
Mary Todd then reportedly apologized for her husband and said his actions were ‘wrong and shameful.’
Zinke said during the 2022 campaign, when they were also facing off in a primary, Rick Todd ‘verbally accosted’ Zinke’s wife and female staff.
The congressman then brought up the Todd’s son’s alleged brutal murder in Singapore a decade ago.
According to Zinke’s retelling of the scuffle, Mary Todd’s husband Rick was seen tearing down Zinke campaign signs at the Montana GOP kick-off in Helena, Mont. on Saturday
‘I understand that Rick and Mary carry a heavy burden of family grief and that they may be angry from their failed House race in 2022 where Mary Todd earned little support despite spending considerable personal wealth,’ he said.
The Todd’s son Shane was found hanging in his Singapore apartment in June 2012. The Singapore Police ruled the death a suicide, but Mary Todd insists her son was murdered because he would not transfer high-technology secrets to a Chinese company.
‘I forgave the lies of her campaign,’ Zinke went on. ‘Despite my core belief of people being held accountable for their actions and words, I believe this episode is better resolved with a personal apology and a vow to end all aggressive actions and lies.’
In 2022 Zinke garnered 41.7 precent of the Republican primary votes compared to Todd’s 10.4 percent.
He then won the election for Montana’s first district 49.6 to 46.5 percent.