Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, believes Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., should be investigated after an ex-girlfriend accused the Democratic National Committee’s vice chairman of domestic violence.
“I’ve been very clear that I make no excuses for anybody who engages in this kind of behavior,” Hirono said Sunday during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And as far as Keith Ellison, these allegations need to be investigated and appropriate action taken.”
Hirono then connected the issue to the sexual assault accusation leveled at Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford, saying how it had exacerbated her concerns about Kavanaugh’s credibility.
“At the same time, we now have this cloud,” Hirono said. “We already have one person on the Supreme Court who got there under this cloud. We should not have another.”
Democrats including Hirono have called for the FBI to investigate the allegation against Kavanaugh.
Ellison, who is running to become Minnesota’s next attorney general, reiterated his denial on Friday during a debate that he abused Sierra Club organizer Karen Monahan. Their five-year relationship ended in 2016.
Monahan, who last week released medical records from 2017 detailing some of the alleged abuse, described an incident in which Ellison yelled obscenities at her while dragging her off a bed by her feet.
Ellison said on Friday he did not know whether an independent investigation into Monahan’s claim would be completed before the November election, according to Fox News.
Kavanaugh has denied Ford’s accusation that he drunkenly forced himself on her during the 1980s at a high school party.
