Keith Ellison's Ex-Girlfriend Shares Medical Record Alleging Abuse

By Dave Orrick / St. Paul Pioneer Press

ST. PAUL — U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison's ex-girlfriend has posted what appears to be a medical record showing that she told her doctor in 2017 that Ellison has physically abused her.

In several tweets early this week, Karen Monahan posted a picture of what appears to be a computer printout of notes from a Park Nicollet Health Services doctor treating her.

The report names Ellison, who is running for state attorney general and has denied the allegation, and says Monahan feared retribution if she identified him publicly.

"She states that she was in a very stressful environment for years, emotional and physical abuse by a partner with whom she is now separated," the notes read, in part. "She did not have any physical injuries that required a physical examination in the past. She identifies the individual as congressmen (sic) Ellison, and she is worried about retribution if she identifies him publicly."

The report from Nov. 28, 2017, could be seen to support her previous statements that she had told others about the alleged abuse — which she leveled days before the Aug. 14 primary — that Ellison once dragged her off a bed while yelling profanities at her in 2017.

Ellison has denied the event ever took place.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press has been unable to confirm the authenticity of the document. A spokeswoman for HealthPartners (Park Nicollet is part of HealthPartners) said she was "unable to confirm this document as it would be a violation of patient privacy."

Monahan has not responded to a request for comment.

Ellison's campaign declined to comment beyond his initial denials.

Other evidence?

Monahan's doctor would be among several people who have said she told of abuse by Ellison, with whom she lived for a period after he was divorced.

CNN has reported that three of Monahan's friends, who refused to allow their names to be published, have said Monahan told them of the alleged incident at the time. In September, she tweeted that "Four people, including my supervisor at the time, stated that I came to them after and shared the exact story I shared publicly."

Monahan works as an organizer for the Sierra Club's North Star chapter.
Monahan's adult son, Austin, said he watched a video of the incident he found on his mother's computer in 2017. It was Austin Monahan who first named Ellison publicly in an August Facebook post.

Monahan said she made the video of the alleged incident with her cellphone in Ellison's Minneapolis apartment, where she was staying after the two had broken up, and has since done a single TV interview in which she discusses it.

She has refused to release any part of the video or show any of it to news organizations, saying it's humiliating.

Earlier this week, she said in a tweet: "I don't have to show a video that shows me in a vulnerable position. Did they even think what I may or may not have been wearing?" At one point last month she told CNN she didn't know where the video was, that it was on a thumb drive that might be in storage or gotten lost during a move.

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which endorsed Ellison after the allegations surfaced, has opened its own investigation. A spokeswoman for the DFL referred questions to party Chairman Ken Martin, who could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Monahan previously said she had furnished the party with medical records.

She previously made public some texts between her and Ellison. They show a strained relationship, but do not show direct evidence of physical abuse.

Aside from the one allegation of physical abuse, much of Monahan's public criticism of Ellison accuses him of "narcissistic abuse," a term sometimes applied to what is often called emotional abuse.