The Democratic National Committee is reviewing allegations of domestic abuse against U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a candidate for Minnesota attorney general who is also deputy chairman of the national party.
Democratic National Committee looking into Keith Ellison allegation
August 16, 2018 at 1:57AM
"These allegations recently came to light and we are reviewing them," the DNC said in a statement Wednesday. "All allegations of domestic abuse are disturbing and should be taken seriously."
The allegations came to light several days before Ellison won the DFL primary for Minnesota attorney general Tuesday. He told reporters at his campaign victory party that the claims were not true and that he would say more about them in the coming days; the Ellison campaign said Wednesday that he had no specific comment on the DNC inquiry.
Last Saturday, Austin Monahan, the son of Ellison's ex-girlfriend, published a Facebook post alleging that he had found a short video of Ellison dragging his mother by her feet off the bed and shouting profanities at her. His mother, Karen Monahan, has stood by her son's account but said she would not release the video and couldn't locate it.
DNC Chairman Tom Perez told reporters while he was campaigning in Georgia Wednesday that the party is "absolutely taking a careful look" at the allegations.
Perez said it wouldn't politically threaten the party.
"Democrats have been winning everywhere," he said. "Our democracy is on the ballot. That's why you see the remarkable energy."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Maya Rao • 202-662-7433
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