Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said Thursday Democrats should not be campaigning with Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.) as he faces allegations he abused a former girlfriend.
"Right now, in this moment, should Democrats be campaigning with him? Like Amy Klobuchar? What should she be doing?" CNN host Kate Bolduan asked.
"To your point, I think it's still very early," Mook said. "I think we need to let the process play out to look if this is true. And if it's true, you know, I think he needs to be held accountable. I don't think people should be campaigning with him."
Ellison is one of the Democratic Party's most prominent members, serving as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
He is running for Minnesota attorney general and won the Democratic primary on Tuesday, but the win was overshadowed by the allegations made days earlier by ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan that he physically and emotionally abused her during their relationship. Her son posted on Facebook he had seen a video of Ellison dragging her from a bed by her feet.
Ellison told CBS Minnesota affiliate WCCO that he didn't understand Monahan's accusations and denied any wrongdoing. He said there "couldn't be" any video because he "never did that. Simply didn't happen."
When he said "we don't have to destroy each other," his interviewer asked if he thought that's what she was trying to do.
"I don’t want to speculate on motive; I don’t know. I’ve asked myself many times, why? But I’m not going to try to speculate on motive," he said.
The DNC said it is "reviewing" the allegations made against Ellison.