Just be honest

The image you shared appears to be a meme or social media post making several claims about Keith Ellison, the current Minnesota Attorney General (as of January 2026). It accuses him of physically abusing his girlfriend (implying domestic violence that caused visible injuries like a black eye), labels him a "woman beater," states he is also the Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and suggests Democrats are suppressing discussion of the issue. I'll break this down factually based on available information, including the 2018 allegations against him, official investigations, and clarifications about the photo and his roles.

### The Allegations of Abuse

- In August 2018, during Ellison's campaign for Minnesota Attorney General, his ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan publicly accused him of emotional and physical abuse during their relationship, which ended in 2017.<grok:render card_id="116db9" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> She described an incident in 2016 where Ellison allegedly yelled profanities at her ("Bitch, get the f*** out of my house") and tried to drag her off a bed by her feet and legs while she was lying down.<grok:render card_id="d5fbea" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> Monahan claimed she had a video of the incident (recorded on her phone) but declined to release it publicly, stating it was for her protection.<grok:render card_id="aee59a" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> In September 2018, she shared a medical record from a doctor's visit that referenced "emotional and physical abuse" by Ellison, though it did not detail specific injuries like a black eye.<grok:render card_id="ade8cd" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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- Ellison has consistently denied the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. He stated there was no physical abuse and that the relationship ended amicably.<grok:render card_id="084b32" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> No charges were ever filed against him.

- **Investigations and Outcomes:** The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) hired an outside attorney to review the claims, who concluded in October 2018 that the physical abuse allegations could not be substantiated due to lack of evidence (including the unreleased video).<grok:render card_id="11af8e" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> The report was referred to Minneapolis police, but they could not proceed without a formal complaint from Monahan, who did not file one.<grok:render card_id="a5bdcd" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> Ellison won the AG election in November 2018 despite the controversy and was reelected in 2022. He announced in October 2025 that he is running for a third term in 2026.<grok:render card_id="87d7d8" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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- Monahan has spoken out in interviews, emphasizing emotional abuse (which she described as "narcissist abuse") and standing by her account, but she has not pursued legal action.<grok:render card_id="4ca173" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> Some conservative outlets and social media users have amplified the story, labeling Ellison a "woman beater," but mainstream coverage has noted the lack of corroboration.<grok:render card_id="0538d4" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> Recent X posts (as of January 2026) often reference the 2018 claims in the context of unrelated scandals, like federal investigations into Minnesota officials, but no new allegations have surfaced.<grok:render card_id="171520" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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### The Photo in the Image

- The photo of the woman with a black eye shown in the meme is **not** Karen Monahan, and it has no connection to Ellison's case. Fact-checking sites like PolitiFact, Snopes, and Politico have debunked similar viral images as hoaxes or misleading composites, often using stock photos or unrelated images to sensationalize the story.<grok:render card_id="4742bc" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> Monahan's allegations did not involve punching or causing a black eye; they centered on the dragging incident and verbal/emotional abuse. No photos of injuries from her claims have been publicly released or verified as linked to Ellison.

### His Role as DNC Deputy Chair

- Ellison served as DNC Deputy Chair from 2017 to 2018 but resigned after winning the Minnesota AG election in November 2018.<grok:render card_id="545d27" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> He has not held that position since then. As of 2026, he is solely the Minnesota AG (a role he has held since 2019).<grok:render card_id="fbdf6b" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> The meme's reference to him as current Deputy Chair is inaccurate and likely based on outdated information from the 2018 allegations period.

### Claims of a Democratic Cover-Up

- The allegations received significant media coverage in 2018 from outlets across the spectrum (e.g., NYT, NPR, BBC, CBS, Vox, Politico), including Democratic-leaning ones.<grok:render card_id="83092f" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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</grok:render> The DFL party investigated internally, and the story was debated publicly during his campaign. While some critics (mostly on the right) argue it was downplayed to protect a prominent Democrat, there's no evidence of a coordinated suppression—coverage faded after the unsubstantiated finding and his election win. Recent X discussions revive it amid other controversies involving Ellison, like federal probes into Minnesota officials, but it's not a suppressed topic.<grok:render card_id="818232" card_type="citation_card" type="render_inline_citation">

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Overall, the meme is misleading. Serious allegations were made and investigated but not substantiated, Ellison denies them, and key elements (the photo, his DNC role) are false or outdated. No new developments have emerged since 2018 to change this. If you're referring to something specific beyond "True" (e.g., a different aspect of the image), feel free to clarify!

Henry McClure  
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