Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison denies abuse allegation

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 13 August 2018

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.

The "tenor" of the Monahan-Ellison text messages "at times was friendly, with the two acknowledging concern and care for one another, and at other times more combative over the terms of their break-up and the emotional pain Monahan said he caused her," MPR recounts. "There is no evidence in the messages reviewed by MPR News of the alleged physical abuse." Ellison's ex-wife, Kim Ellison, released a statement Sunday saying she wants "members of our community to know that the behavior described does not match the character of the Keith I know."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.