Bernie Sanders Dodges Keith Ellison Abuse Allegations Questions: 'I've Got To Get Going'

Senator Bernie Sanders dodged questions Thursday about what Democratic Representative Keith Ellison, who supported his 2016 presidential bid, should do about abuse allegations an ex-girlfriend has made against him on social media.

"Nope, nothing," Sanders, an independent, said as he walked briskly toward the Senate doors, according to The Washington Post. "You'll excuse me, I've got to get going."

In social media posts that began on Saturday, Ellison's now ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan and her son accused him of pulling her off a bed and yelling obscenities at her, and of abusing her psychologically. They have said a video of the incident exists, but it has not yet come to light.

The allegations had first surfaced in November days before Ellison won the Democratic Party nomination for Minnesota attorney general.

While acknowledging he was in a relationship with Monahan, Ellison denied the abuse allegations on Sunday.

"We are going to keep on fighting all the way through," Ellison said after he won the primary on Tuesday night. "We are going to be respectful to all, and we are going to stand like steeples and insist upon the truth."

Ellison is deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and if elected as Minnesota attorney general, would be in an even stronger position to attack President Donald Trump's influence in the courts.

Sanders rallied for Ellison last month, saying he would miss working with him in Congress on issues including raising the federal minimum wage and expanding Medicare, but that he could make inroads in the office he is seeking.

"He can play more of a role in fighting for working people, in fighting for consumers and farmers … by becoming the next attorney general of the state of Minnesota," Sanders said of Ellison.

During the rally Sanders also encouraged voters to turn out in the midterm election in order to fight back against Trump.

"Our job, in a way that we have never done it before, is to get out in the streets and make it clear what Trump stands for and make it clear what our alt, progressive vision is about," said Sanders, who has not mentioned running in the 2020 presidential election.

At least 10 members of the Senate or House have faced harassment allegations in recent months. So far, Democrats have not responded with the same vigor to the allegations against Ellison as they did against former Senator Al Franken, who stepped down in the wake of accusations he had behaved inappropriately.