Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison denies abuse allegation
On Sunday, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) flatly denied an allegation from the son of an ex-girlfriend that he had physically abused the woman, Karen Monahan. On Saturday, 25-year-old Austin Monahan claimed on Facebook that he found a video last year on his mother's computer of Ellison dragging his mom off a bed by her feet and berating her. "Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being," Ellison said in the statement. "This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false."
A woman claiming to be Karen Monahan said on Austin Monahan's Facebook page that the video is authentic, but while Karen Monahan shared more than 100 text messages between her and Ellison with Minnesota Public Radio, neither MPR or The Washington Post could confirm such a video exists, despite requests to the Monahans. Ellison is deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the frontrunner in Tuesday's Minnesota Democratic primary for state attorney general. Austin Monahan tagged one of his rivals, state Rep. Debra Hilstrom, in his Facebook post, and she shared it on social media, calling on Ellison to address the allegations.
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