Lamont Denies Assault as Video Shows Him Tapping Reporter's Phone

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont tapped the phone of a woman recording him during a public appearance at Scalzi Park in Stamford on Saturday morning. Video captured online shows the interaction, in which Lamont strikes the device with his hand while the woman stands in front of him.

The woman, who stated she is a reporter for the Connecticut Centinal, asked Lamont why he touched her camera. She told the governor, 'You're not supposed to be touching my camera. That's assault.' At the time of the incident, she was in the process of asking a question about one of his campaign staff members.

Lamont responded to the footage in an interview with WFSB 3 TV. He suggested that Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio is 'getting desperate.' The governor stated, 'Maybe somebody came to an event and tried to stir up some trouble.'

Lamont's campaign provided a similar explanation through the same news outlet. The campaign stated that for months, 'political provocateurs' have appeared at the governor's events to disrupt them. They characterized the woman and others like her as supporters of the Republican candidates rather than neutral journalists.

The campaign argued that these individuals are 'trying to turn nothing into something in a last-ditch effort to generate attention for (Fazio's) struggling campaign.' The exchange took place at an outdoor event in Stamford, where Lamont was speaking to supporters before the video of the phone contact gained circulation online.

The incident adds a new layer to the state's gubernatorial race as both candidates continue to hold public events. The woman identified herself clearly as a member of the press during the brief exchange. Lamont has not issued a written statement regarding the specific video, relying instead on his television interview and his campaign's media release to address the situation.