Attorney: Ellison abuse allegations are unsubstantiated

A lawyer hired by Democrats in Minnesota to investigate abuse allegations against Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) from a former girlfriend says the accusations can not be substantiated, according to a report leaked to the press.

The attorney, Susan Ellingstad, was hired by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. She wrote in the report, which was obtained by the Associated Press, that the woman making the charges against Ellison, Karen Monaghan, refused to provide video of the alleged abuse.

As a result, Ellingstad concluded that “the allegation is unsubstantiated.”

Ellingstad noted that Monahan gave changing explanations as to why she could not hand over film of the alleged incident.

DFL Chairman Ken Martin confirmed the AP report in a statement later Monday.

{mosads}”The investigation report, which was released today without our knowledge by someone outside of our organization, was unable to substantiate the claim of physical abuse made by Ms. Monahan,” Martin wrote. 

Monahan claimed in August that Ellison dragged her from a bed by her feet in 2016 while screaming at her, which Ellison has denied.

Martin added that the DFL has decided to send the information to the local authorities for their review.

“We understand the public’s desire for definitive answers in this matter, but absent substantiated evidence that proves the claim or definitive exculpatory evidence, we believe it is prudent to ask law enforcement authorities to review the information as a final step in this process,” he wrote.

Monahan said earlier this month over Twitter that she has “been smeared, threatened, [and] isolated” by the Democratic party, of which she is a member. 

Monahan said in the same tweet that she has “provided medical records from 2016, stating on two different Dr. Visits, I told them about the abuse and who did it.”

She added that her therapist has released records “stating I have been dealing and healing from abuse.”

Monahan also pointed to people who she said she had spoken to about the alleged abuse, and to text messages she sent to Ellison regarding the alleged attack, to which he did not respond.

Ellison is leaving the House to run for Minnesota’s attorney general in the November midterms.

The Hill could not reach Ellingstad for immediate comment.