The woman accusing Democratic National Committee deputy chair and Minnesota attorney general candidate Keith Ellison said she has been "smeared" by the Democratic party.
Karen Monahan, Ellison’s ex-girlfriend, was asked on Twitter how Democrats have treated her versus Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser, Christine Blasey Ford. She said she has faced threats and isolation from members of her own party, despite her evidence against Ellison.
"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," she wrote on Twitter. "My therapist released records stating I have been dealing and healing from the abuse."
"Four people, including my supervisor at the time, stated that I came to them after and shared the exact story I shared publicly, I shared multiple text between me and Keith, where I discuss the abuse with him and much more," she added. "I knew I wouldn't be believed."
"I didn't break my silence for validation or any outcome," she concluded. "I did it for my own internal freedom and to stand w/ other survivors. I have nothing to prove to anyone, I simply shared my story."
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
— Karen Monahan (@KarenMonahan01) September 17, 2018
Four people, including my supervisor at the time, stated that I came to them after and shared the exact story I shared publicly, I shared multiple text between me and Keith, where I discuss the abuse with him and much more. As I said before, I knew I wouldn't be believed
— Karen Monahan (@KarenMonahan01) September 17, 2018
I didn't break my silence for validation or any outcome. I did it for my own internal freedom and to stand w/ other survivors. I have nothing to prove to anyone, I simply shared my story. People can believe it or not. I don't need anyone to affirm my humanity, I affirmed it.
— Karen Monahan (@KarenMonahan01) September 17, 2018
Monahan accused Ellison of hurling insults at her and dragging her out of bed. She claimed the incident occurred in 2016 after Ellison told her to take out the trash.
"He looked at me and goes, ‘Hey, you (bleep) hear me?’" Monahan said. "He goes ‘Bitch, get the (bleep) out of my house,’ and he started to try to drag me off the bed."
"That's when I put my camera on to video him," she added.
Monahan said she has video of the incident, but does not want to release it because it is traumatic. A Facebook post by Monahan’s son, Austin Aslim Monahan, provided more details:
My brother and I watched our mom come out of pure hell after getting out of her relationship with Keith Ellison. For several months we knew something wasn’t right and couldn’t figure it out. When we asked our mom if everything was ok, she told us she was dealing with some stress and would be ok.
In the middle of 2017, I was using my moms computer trying to download something and I clicked on a file, I found over 100 text and twitters messages and video almost 2 min long that showed Keith Ellison dragging my mama off the bed by her feet, screaming and calling her a "fucking bitch" and telling her to get the fuck out of his house. The messages I found, were mixed with him consistently telling my mom he wanted her back, he missed her, he knew he fucked up and we wished he could do things different, he would victim shaming, bully her, and threaten her if she went public.
Ellison has denied the allegations. "Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being," Ellison said. "This video does not exist because I have never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false."
Despite the accusations, Ellison won the Democratic primary for Minnesota attorney general.