Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Thursday went after GOP House candidate Greg Gianforte after he allegedly slammed a reporter to the floor the day before.

In an interview for Politico's "Off Message" podcast, Sasse talked about the importance of the First Amendment right to a free press. He said a core obligation for someone who is seeking a job as a public servant in Congress is to "teach American civics."

"And if you’re teaching American civics, you celebrate a First Amendment, a free press, speech, assembly, religion," Sasse said Thursday.

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“If the First Amendment means anything, it means you don’t body slam a reporter. It means that regardless of whether or not you think in a given situation reporter X, Y or Z in town hall A, B or C is annoying,” Sasse said, “you pause and you celebrate the First Amendment.”

The comments come after Montana law enforcement officials charged Gianforte with misdemeanor assault following the alleged physical altercation with a journalist from The Guardian.

Gianforte allegedly slammed reporter Ben Jacobs to the floor at the candidate's campaign headquarters in Bozeman as he posed questions about the Republicans' ObamaCare repeal plans — a charge Gianforte denies.

Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanAt indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district MORE (R-Wisc.) on Thursday condemned Gianforte for allegedly assaulting a reporter, but did not call on Gianforte to drop out of the race.