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Representative Keith Ellison Denies Abuse Allegations About Ex-Girlfriend Representative Keith Ellison Denies Abuse Allegations About Ex-Girlfriend
(about 1 hour later)
Ahead of Minnesota’s primaries on Tuesday, Representative Keith Ellison has denied allegations that he had emotionally and physically abused a former girlfriend, including once trying to pull her off a bed while yelling obscenities at her.Ahead of Minnesota’s primaries on Tuesday, Representative Keith Ellison has denied allegations that he had emotionally and physically abused a former girlfriend, including once trying to pull her off a bed while yelling obscenities at her.
The allegations surfaced on Saturday night in a Facebook post published by the son of the ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan. The post referred to a two-minute video that the son, Austin Monahan, claimed showed Mr. Ellison “dragging my mama off the bed by her feet.”The allegations surfaced on Saturday night in a Facebook post published by the son of the ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan. The post referred to a two-minute video that the son, Austin Monahan, claimed showed Mr. Ellison “dragging my mama off the bed by her feet.”
The denial on Sunday by Mr. Ellison, 55, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for state attorney general, was forceful. “Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being,” he said in a statement. “This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false.” The denial on Sunday by Mr. Ellison, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for state attorney general, was forceful. “Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being,” he said in a statement. “This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false.”
In an email to The New York Times on Sunday night, Ms. Monahan, an organizer at the Minnesota chapter of the Sierra Club, said that she survived what she described as “narcissist abuse” after a multiyear relationship with Mr. Ellison. In an email to The New York Times on Sunday night, Ms. Monahan, an organizer at the Minnesota chapter of the Sierra Club, said that she survived what she described as “narcissist abuse” after a multiyear relationship with Mr. Ellison, the deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
“It is the most difficult form of abuse to articulate,” Ms. Monahan, 44, wrote in the email. “It is a slow insidious form of abuse. You don’t realize it is happening until it’s too late.”“It is the most difficult form of abuse to articulate,” Ms. Monahan, 44, wrote in the email. “It is a slow insidious form of abuse. You don’t realize it is happening until it’s too late.”
Some details in her email about the allegations differed slightly from her son’s account. While Mr. Monahan’s account described a video that he says showed Mr. Ellison pulling her off the bed, Ms. Monahan described an episode in 2016 in which he “kept trying to drag me off the bed.” She did not mention a video.Some details in her email about the allegations differed slightly from her son’s account. While Mr. Monahan’s account described a video that he says showed Mr. Ellison pulling her off the bed, Ms. Monahan described an episode in 2016 in which he “kept trying to drag me off the bed.” She did not mention a video.
Mr. Monahan said on the Facebook post that his mother experienced “pure hell” during her relationship with Mr. Ellison and that he had uncovered more than 100 messages between them that showed she had been bullied and threatened. He said he discovered them on his mother’s computer in 2017. Mr. Monahan wrote on Facebook that his mother experienced “pure hell” during the relationship with Mr. Ellison, 55. He wrote that he had uncovered, on his mother’s computer in 2017, more than 100 messages between them that showed she had been bullied and threatened.
“There is a lot more he has done to my mom,” Mr. Monahan wrote. “My brother and I were so angry and hurt for our mom. We were ready to go public but our mom begged us not to and she along with others convinced us it wasn’t in our moms best interest.”“There is a lot more he has done to my mom,” Mr. Monahan wrote. “My brother and I were so angry and hurt for our mom. We were ready to go public but our mom begged us not to and she along with others convinced us it wasn’t in our moms best interest.”
On Monday, a spokesman for Mr. Ellison’s campaign referred to Sunday’s statement. Mr. Ellison, who lost a 2017 bid to become the party’s chairman, announced in June that he was stepping down after 11 years in Congress to run for attorney general. A representative for the Democratic National Committee did not respond to a request for comment.On Monday, a spokesman for Mr. Ellison’s campaign referred to Sunday’s statement. Mr. Ellison, who lost a 2017 bid to become the party’s chairman, announced in June that he was stepping down after 11 years in Congress to run for attorney general. A representative for the Democratic National Committee did not respond to a request for comment.
It was still unclear on Monday whether there would be immediate political consequences for Mr. Ellison, who has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders. His opponents in Tuesday’s primary had not called on him to bow out of the race but two of them called for an immediate response. Another opponent said that if a video exists, it should be given to the police. It was still unclear on Monday whether there would be immediate political consequences for Mr. Ellison, who has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders. His opponents in Tuesday’s primary had not called on him to drop out, but two of them called for an immediate response. Another said if a video exists, it should be given to the police.
A women’s advocacy group, UltraViolet, called on Mr. Ellison to withdraw from the attorney general’s race. A women’s advocacy group called for him to withdraw the race.
In the email she sent on Sunday to The Times, Ms. Monahan said it had been “a very difficult time for me and my family” and she “was not in a place to talk.” The Monahans did not respond Monday to messages for further comment or an opportunity to review the messages and video.In the email she sent on Sunday to The Times, Ms. Monahan said it had been “a very difficult time for me and my family” and she “was not in a place to talk.” The Monahans did not respond Monday to messages for further comment or an opportunity to review the messages and video.
Her email included a lengthy statement about the her relationship with Mr. Ellison. She said that she started to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder around 2014 and was in poor health when they ended their relationship. Minnesota Public Radio said it reviewed more than 100 messages between Mr. Ellison and Ms. Monahan, which it said had been provided to the news organization by Ms. Monahan. “There is no evidence in the messages reviewed by MPR News of the alleged physical abuse,” the news organization reported.
“My hair was falling out, I had severe pain in my neck, back and legs,” Ms. Monahan wrote in the email. “My social life was suffering due to isolation, my work was slipping and it was all becoming noticeable. I became someone I didn’t recognize, on the inside or out.” Mr. Monahan told the Star Tribune that he did not have a copy of the video, but stood by what he said he saw.
In the email, Ms. Monahan said that after the episode on the bed, she searched for a new place to live, but ultimately did not move out of a house with Mr. Ellison. Ms. Monahan said in her email that she started to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder around 2014, and was in poor health when the relationship ended, a point for which they gave different dates.
It was not immediately clear how long they dated. Mr. Ellison separated from his wife, Kim Ellison, in 2010 and the couple got divorced in 2012, ending a marriage of more than two decades. Mr. Ellison and Ms. Monahan gave different dates for when the relationship ended. “My hair was falling out, I had severe pain in my neck, back and legs,” Ms. Monahan wrote. “My social life was suffering due to isolation, my work was slipping and it was all becoming noticeable. I became someone I didn’t recognize, on the inside or out.”
Mr. Ellison’s former wife defended him on Monday. She said the allegations were not consistent with “anything that I experienced during the time that I have known him.” Mr. Ellison separated from his wife, Kim Ellison, in 2010 and the couple divorced in 2012 after a marriage of more than two decades.
“We may be divorced, but we are still a family,” Ms. Ellison, who said they met as teenagers four decades ago, said in an email to The Times on Monday. “The behavior described does not match the character of the Keith I know.” Ms. Ellison defended him on Monday in an email to The Times. She said the allegations were not consistent with “anything that I experienced during the time that I have known him.”
Minnesota Public Radio said it reviewed more than 100 messages between Mr. Ellison and Ms. Monahan, which had been provided to a reporter. Mr. Monahan told the Star Tribune that he did not have a copy of the video, but stood by what he said he saw. “We may be divorced, but we are still a family,” wrote Ms. Ellison, who said they met as teenagers four decades ago. “The behavior described does not match the character of the Keith I know.”
On Twitter, an account under Ms. Monahan’s name wrote favorably about Mr. Ellison for years, including photos of them on trips. One message in July 2016 to Mr. Ellison thanked him for visiting the state’s Sierra Club chapter, where Ms. Monahan works. On Twitter, an account under Ms. Monahan’s name wrote favorably about Mr. Ellison for years. One message in July 2016 to Mr. Ellison thanked him for visiting the state’s Sierra Club chapter.
But about a year ago, the Twitter posts changed. Days after sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein became public, the account wrote a one-word message, “#metoo.” But about a year ago, the posts changed. Days after sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein became public, the account wrote a one-word message, “#metoo.”