Share
News

Lawyer: No Proof Means Allegation Against Ellison 'Is Unsubstantiated'

Share

Accusations of partner abuse against Minnesota Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison should be rejected because they are only based upon the word of a woman who claims Ellison beat and humiliated her, according to the draft report commissioned by the state Democratic Party.

As reported by The Western Journal, the investigation into allegations from Karen Monahan was conducted by Susan Ellingstad, a partner in the same law firm as the state Democratic Party’s attorney. Ellison is the Democratic candidate for Minnesota attorney general.

Ellison has been accused by Monahan of physically and verbally abusing her during their relationship. Ellison has admitted to the relationship but denied any abuse. The accusations against Ellison first surfaced in August.

Ellingstad said that because Monahan has said there is a video showing the abuse, but because she would not release it, her claims are therefore invalid.

“An allegation standing alone is not necessarily sufficient to conclude that conduct occurred, particularly where the accusing party declines to produce supporting evidence that she herself asserts exists,” Ellingstad wrote, according to the Associated Press.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

“She has thus repeatedly placed the existence of the video front and center to her allegations, but then has refused to disclose it,” Ellingstad wrote.

“The investigation report … was unable to substantiate the claim of physical abuse made by Ms. Monahan,” read a statement from Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is backing Ellison.

“For the purpose of objectivity and getting all of the facts regarding these allegations, we have decided to forward the information in the investigation to local authorities in order to let them … determine whether further investigation is warranted,” Martin’s statement said, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

Are the Democrats simply protecting one of their own?

Monahan has said that she believes her accusations should not require video proof.

“It’s humiliating, it’s traumatizing, for everyone’s family involved, and for me,” she told Minnesota Public Radio, saying that she is angry that she is not believed without producing the video.

“It sets the expectation for survivors of all kinds of forms of abuse, whether it be abuse toward women, abuse from police officers, abuse from other people in power, to have to be the ones, like I’m doing right now, to show and prove their stories,” she said. “It’s feeding into that.”

Last month, Monahan was asked about whether Democrats believed her the way they backed Christine Blasey Ford, who has leveled sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“No, they don’t. I’ve been smeared, threatened, isolated from my own party. I provided medical records from 2017, stating on two different Dr. Visits, I told them about the abuse and who did it. My therapist released records stating I have been dealing and healing from the abuse,” she wrote on Twitter.

Related:
Avian Influenza Found for First Time in US Livestock

Monahan has produced text messages between her and Ellison and tweeted a summary of a doctor’s report that shows she told her doctor about her claims against Ellison.

Karin Housley, a Republican candidate seeking a  U.S. Senate in Minnesota, said Ellison should be investigated by the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General, not just by the House.

“Recent calls for a congressional ethics investigation, made by Keith Ellison and echoed by my opponent, amount to nothing more than political cover; Ellison will have left Congress by the time an investigation could be completed,” Housley said in a statement. “These are serious, recent and substantiated allegations that deserve immediate attention and raise significant doubts about Keith Ellison’s fitness to serve as Minnesota’s chief legal officer.”

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , ,
Share
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
Location
New York City
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues




Conversation