The Democratic National Committee (DNC) said Tuesday it is “reviewing” allegations that deputy chairman Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) abused his ex-girlfriend.
“These allegations recently came to light and we are reviewing them. All allegations of domestic abuse are disturbing and should be taken seriously,” the DNC told NPR in a statement.
The DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
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Allegations against Ellison first surfaced after his ex-girlfriend’s son, Austin Aslim Monahan, posted on Facebook on Saturday that he watched a video in which Ellison dragged his mother, Karen, off a bed and shouted profanities at her. The post quickly went viral.
Ellison, who is on the ballot on Tuesday in a primary for Minnesota attorney general, has denied the allegations.
“Karen (Monahan) and I were in a relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being,” Ellison said in a statement through his campaign.
“This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false,” Ellison added.
Karen Monahan, took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to confirm her son’s allegations, adding that Ellison knows “you did that to me.” She added in a subsequent tweet that she expressed concerns about the incident before Ellison declared his run for attorney general.
Ellison, who is among the most liberal lawmakers in Congress, rose to political prominence in the past year and was tapped to become second in command of the DNC after losing a tight contest for the chairmanship to Tom Perez.
Ellison was expected to remain on in his role with the DNC amid his campaign for attorney general, though it’s unclear if that will change given the organization’s review of the allegations.