Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, has covered herself in shame these last couple of weeks.
Her desire to see Brett Kavanaugh’s chances of replacing Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy destroyed by any means necessary has been a sickening display of petty, short-sighted partisan zealotry.
But there is one unintentionally humorous moment in the parade of awful that has vomited forth from the senator’s office: The moment this week when she attacked the GOP for supposedly behaving like … Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn.?
Republicans “cannot face the idea that women do not sit around making these things up,” Hirono said Monday on MSNBC, referring to the two allegations of sexual misconduct brought against the Supreme Court nominee.
She added, “Women do not sit around making these things up. It is such a hugely, personal, physical injury to a victim they don’t come forward. It is one of the most unreported crimes. The Republicans cannot face up to it. They would rather call this ‘politically motivated.’ They are totally denying the credibility of these women. This is what they do.”
Whoa, senator. Ease up on Ellison. After all, it’s not easy running for Minnesota attorney general while also facing down questions about allegations of physical and emotional abuse leveled by an ex-girlfriend, Karen Monahan, and another woman, Amy Alexander, with whom Ellison claims to have never had a relationship.
Let’s roll the tape:
“I’m kind of curious about the domestic abuse allegations here,” Twin Cities Public Television “Almanac” co-host Cathy Wurzer said in a recent debate with Ellison.
“Forty percent say those allegations are a factor in how they’re considering your race,” Wurzer’s co-host, Eric Eskola, added
“Well, let me tell you,” Ellison responded. “Let’s talk about Amy Alexander. That was a case in 2005 when she was harassing me and my staff. I got an order for protection to have her to not do that anymore. The judge ordered that. In 2006, when I was running for Congress, she filed a claim, it was denied by the judge (for order of protection).”
He added, “And then we went to a hearing and the judge says she was ordered to stop making the falsehoods against me and to not contact me at all. So this is not multiple cases. Now let’s talk about the current one that we’re dealing with now.”
The congressman then turned his attention to the Monahan allegations.
“Look. We were in a long-term relationship. It ended two years ago. Two days before the primary she made these allegations. They’re not true. I have said that they’re not true. I have answered questions and gone on Esme Murphy and others to make these points clear. There is an ongoing investigation, which we hope …”
Eskola interjected, “Will that be done before the election?”
“I don’t know. It’s an independent investigation, so I don’t know,” said Ellison.
Wurzer asked, “Are you confident that no one else will step forward with any other allegations?”
“Look,” said Ellison,” “in this political environment, you know I don’t know what somebody might cook up.”
Wow, better get on this, Sen. Hirono.
