Reporter Sabrina Eaton tweeted a critique of Rep. Jim Renacci (R., Ohio), a candidate for U.S. Senate, after he called Democrats hypocrites over the assault allegations made against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Following backlash, however, the tweet was soon deleted without explanation.
Brown accused Democrats of treating the allegations against Kavanaugh differently than they have treating abuse allegations against Renacci's opponent, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio), who in the past was accused of domestic violence by his former wife.
In the deleted tweet from Thursday morning, Eaton, a Washington, D.C.-based reporter for The Plain Dealer, defended Brown.
".@JimRenacci (endorsed by the WH pussy-grabber) charges Dems w/ hypocrisy for raising sex abuse questions abt Brett Kavanaugh while hanging w/ @SherrodBrown. Doesn't mention Brown's 1986 divorce claims were aired in 1992 & 2012 & Brown won anyway," she wrote.
Blaine Kelly, the Ohio Republican Party communications director, criticized Eaton's original tweet, before she deleted it.
"Wow. Good to know where this 'journalist' stands. Brown's abuse was never aired, it was swept under the rug. Also, if the same Dems discrediting Kavanaugh for allegations knew of Brown's COURT DOCUMENTED abuse and still voted for him, they are hypocrites. "
Wow. Good to know where this "journalist" stands.
Brown's abuse was never aired, it was swept under the rug.
Also, if the same Dems discrediting Kavanaugh for allegations knew of Brown's COURT DOCUMENTED abuse and still voted for him, they are hypocrites. https://t.co/6kQpRgBleU
— Blaine Kelly (@blainekelly15) September 20, 2018
The abuse accusations against Brown have come up during the campaign for his seat. A group calling themselves #MeTooOhio ran an advertisement citing documents from Brown's divorce from his first wife, Larke Recchie, in which she claimed abuse at the hands of Brown.
In a protective order filed by Recchie during their divorce, she claimed abuse and sought court protection from Brown.
"I am also intimidated by the Defendant and am in fear for the safety and well-being of myself and our children due to the Defendant's physical violence and abusive nature," she said.
In recent years, Recchie has supported Brown's campaign and called her accusations "angry words" that were part the "unfriendly affair" that was their divorce proceedings.
Brown's Republican challenger, Renacci, has been a vocal critic of Brown's alleged past.
"Violence against women in any form is not acceptable and has no place in our society. Sherrod Brown's well documented history of domestic violence is deeply troubling. Ohioans deserve to know all the facts, and judge his fitness for public office for themselves," he said in a statement.
Brown announced in August he would vote against Kavanaugh's nomination, long before allegations from Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school became public.
Renacci responded to Brown's announcement, saying, "Once again, Sherrod Brown is proving he's completely out of touch with Ohioans and far too liberal to represent Ohio in the Senate."
President Donald Trump won Ohio by 8 points in 2016.