Karen Monahan and the Keith Ellison Abuse Allegations

Karen Monahan is a Minnesota political organizer who, in August 2018, publicly accused her former partner, U.S. Representative Keith Ellison, of domestic abuse during their relationship. The accusations against Ellison surfaced days before the Minnesota Democratic primary for attorney general, which he won. A subsequent investigation commissioned by the state Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party found the physical-abuse claim “unsubstantiated,” no criminal charges were ever filed, and Ellison went on to be elected attorney general that November.¹

Who Karen Monahan Is

Monahan was born in Iran and adopted by a working-class family in Texas. She has spoken publicly about surviving childhood sexual abuse and becoming a teenage mother, experiences she has described as shaping her career in activism. Around 2006, while working for the Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota, she met Keith Ellison, then a state legislator.² She later became an organizer with the Sierra Club’s North Star Chapter in Minnesota.³

Monahan and Ellison began a romantic relationship after meeting. She moved into his Minneapolis home in 2015, and the relationship ended in late 2016 or early 2017.⁴²

How the Allegations Became Public

The accusations first surfaced on the night of August 11, 2018, when Monahan’s son, Austin Monahan, posted on Facebook that he had found a two-minute video on his mother’s computer showing Ellison “dragging Karen Monahan off a bed and screaming profanity at her.” He also said he had seen hundreds of text messages and tweets from Ellison that included “victim shaming, bullying and threats if she publicly discussed the abuse.”⁵ Karen Monahan confirmed her son’s account on Twitter.⁴ The timing was politically significant: the Minnesota Democratic primary for attorney general was three days away.

What Monahan Said Happened

Monahan described a single physical incident during the relationship in which Ellison pulled on her legs and feet while she was lying on a bed during a fight.⁶ She also alleged a broader pattern of emotional abuse, describing it as gaslighting and manipulation.² In a public statement, she identified herself as a “#MeToo survivor” and said she had experienced “narcissist abuse” and “complex PTSD” as a result of the relationship.⁷

In September 2018, Monahan posted on Twitter what she said were patient progress notes from a Park Nicollet doctor visit dated November 28, 2017. The document said she had reported being “in a very stressful environment for years” and experiencing “emotional and physical abuse from a partner” from whom she had separated, and that she “identifies the individual she was involved with as congressmen [sic] Ellison” while expressing worry about “retribution if she identifies him publicly.”⁸ HealthPartners, which includes Park Nicollet, said it could not confirm the record’s authenticity because of patient privacy laws.⁹

Ellison denied all allegations of physical abuse. He said the purported video “does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false.”⁵ His ex-wife, Kim Ellison, said in a statement that the alleged behavior “does not match the character of the Keith I know.”¹⁰

The Video That Was Never Produced

The alleged video became the central dispute. It was never released to the public, the media, investigators, or Monahan’s own attorney. Monahan’s explanations shifted. She told CNN she had misplaced the file while moving. She later told MPR News that she had the tape but believed victims should not be expected to prove their stories. Her attorney, Andrew Parker, said she had transferred the file from her computer to a USB drive and could not locate it during the initial media inquiries. No one, including Monahan’s sons, ever provided the recording to investigators or the press, and its existence was never independently verified.¹¹

Monahan did reference the recording in December 2017 messages she provided to MPR, writing to Ellison: “We never discussed — the video I have of you trying to drag me off the bed.” According to Monahan, Ellison did not respond to that message. She also said that in an in-person meeting the day before Ellison filed to run for attorney general, she confronted him about the alleged abuse, he said “it could ruin his career” and asked to see the video, and she declined.¹² MPR, which reviewed more than 100 messages between the two, reported finding “no evidence in the messages it reviewed of alleged physical abuse.”⁴

The DFL Investigation and Its Finding

After Ellison won the August 14, 2018, Democratic primary, the Minnesota DFL hired attorney Susan Ellingstad of Lockridge Grindal Nauen to investigate the physical-abuse allegation.¹³ The inquiry spanned several weeks and included interviews with both Monahan and Ellison and review of text messages, therapy notes, and medical records. Monahan named four people she said she had told about the incident, and three friends corroborated her account.¹¹ Her sons, who were said to have seen the video, declined to be interviewed.¹⁴ The scope was limited to physical abuse and did not cover emotional abuse.¹⁵

Ellingstad concluded the allegation was “unsubstantiated,” writing: “An allegation standing alone is not necessarily sufficient to conclude that conduct occurred, particularly where the accusing party declines to produce supporting evidence that she herself asserts exists.”¹ Monahan’s shifting explanations for not producing the video weighed heavily in the finding.¹⁴ Critics, including Republican attorney general candidate Doug Wardlow, called the inquiry a “politically motivated sham,” noting that Ellingstad’s firm had longstanding ties to the DFL.¹⁶ Monahan’s attorney argued victims “don’t need a video” and that she had provided corroboration from friends.¹¹

Why There Was No Criminal Case

DFL Chairman Ken Martin referred the matter to law enforcement, but the referral stalled quickly. The Minneapolis Police Department declined to investigate, citing a conflict of interest because Ellison’s son, Jeremiah Ellison, sat on the Minneapolis City Council.¹⁷ Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal recused for the same reason and referred the matter to Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom, who said he would review the case only after a law enforcement agency completed a formal investigation and would not consider the DFL’s private inquiry.¹⁸

Monahan had never filed a formal police report. According to her attorney, it was never her intention to have authorities prosecute Ellison.¹⁸ Ellison’s attorney argued law enforcement lacked jurisdiction in the absence of such a report.¹⁷ No criminal charges were ever filed.

What Happened to Ellison’s Career

The allegations dominated the final days of the primary but did not stop Ellison from winning the Democratic nomination for attorney general with about 53 percent of the vote.¹⁹ He won the general election that November against Wardlow, roughly 49 percent to 45 percent.²⁰ As attorney general, Ellison led the state prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd and sentenced to 22.5 years.²¹ He won reelection in 2022 and secured the DFL endorsement for a third term in 2026.²²

1
NBC News. Keith Ellison Abuse Claim Unsubstantiated, Attorney Concludes
2
WRAL. Karen Monahan Background Report
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Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Keith Ellison Denies Abuse Allegations as Ex-Girlfriend Does TV Interview
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MPR News. Abuse Allegation Made Against Keith Ellison
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ABC News. Rep. Keith Ellison Denies Allegations of Abuse by Girlfriend
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Governing. Keith Ellison Abuse Allegation
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KARE 11. Karen Monahan Statement on Domestic Abuse Accusations Against Ellison
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Star Tribune. Keith Ellison’s Ex-Girlfriend Posts Medical Record Alleging Abuse
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Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Keith Ellison Abuse Allegation: Ex-Girlfriend Posts Medical Record
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CBS News. Keith Ellison Denies Abuse Allegations by Ex-Girlfriend Karen Monahan
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BuzzFeed News. Democrats Refer Keith Ellison Abuse Allegations to Law Enforcement
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MPR News. Monahan Says She Will Not Release Video of Keith Ellison Incident
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MPR News. Attorney Says Ellison Abuse Claim Unsubstantiated
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Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Keith Ellison Abuse Claim Unsubstantiated, Draft DFL Report Says
15
Politico. Ellison Abuse Allegations Report
16
NPR. Abuse Allegations Against Rep. Ellison Can’t Be Substantiated, Probe Says
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MPR News. Police Won’t Investigate Ellison for Abuse, Cite Conflict
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Roll Call. Police Stuck on Keith Ellison Abuse Case Until Accuser Files Report
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Politico. Minnesota Primary Election Results
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CNN. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
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The Guardian. Keith Ellison Interview: George Floyd, Police, Minnesota
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Valley News Live. MN Attorney General Keith Ellison Wins DFL Endorsement for Reelection