Sen. Joni Ernst’s revelations about domestic abuse sparked an outpouring of heartfelt sympathy – except from liberals who shamefully attacked her for being a victim.
The left took disgraceful, cheap shots at the Iowa Republican after she opened up about divorcing her husband, enduring verbal and physical abuse in their relationship and about past experiences with assault.
EMOTIONAL REVELATION: Senator @joniernst breaks down answering my question about how this alleged abuse and divorce from her husband will change her in the future. @weareiowa5news pic.twitter.com/Z09aug5Vpq
— Angelina Salcedo (@ASalcedoNews) January 23, 2019
Court documents this week revealed that Ernst alleged her ex-husband, Gail, physically and verbally abused her in their 26-year marriage which ended last year when the couple filed for divorce, The Hill reported.
The 48-year-old military veteran spoke about the painful experiences in a new interview with Bloomberg News, also revealing that when she attended college at Iowa state University, she was raped by an abusive ex-boyfriend who threatened to kill himself if she ended up breaking up with him.
Ernst described the abuse by her ex-husband in an affidavit that was made public as the divorce was finalized this week, detailing the physical abuse and when he allegedly assaulted her after she confronted him about his relationship with their daughter’s babysitter.
He “grabbed me by the throat with his hands and threw me on the landing floor,” she told Bloomberg News.
“And then he pounded my head … on the landing,” Ernst continued. “It was very sudden and very violent. It scared me.”
Though she said she believed him when he promised it wouldn’t happen again, the relationship was never the same because of “that underlying threat.”
“I didn’t want to share it with anybody, and in the era of hashtag-MeToo survivors, I always believed that every person is different and they will confront their demons when they’re ready,” Ernst told Bloomberg News. “And I was not ready.”
Put politics aside: This is heartbreaking. In my limited interactions I’ve seen the incredibly strong woman @SenJoniErnst is. She is tough as nails and deserves the privacy she wishes in dealing with this issue. The grace that she is demonstrating through this trial is inspiring. https://t.co/iAC81QOS6T
— Ali Rogin (@AliABCNews) January 23, 2019
Ernst, the first woman in Iowa elected to Congress, has been a strong ally of President Donald Trump who, as a candidate had asked her to be his running mate. Ernst turned down the request because “it wasn’t the right thing for me or my family,” she wrote in the affidavit, according to the Des Moines Register. “I continued to make sacrifices and not soar higher out of concern for Gail and our family.”
She also defended the president against allegations of sexual harassment.
“It’s outrageous to suggest that anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault should therefore be a Hillary Clinton supporter,” Ernst told Bloomberg News.
Ernst’s heartbreaking revelations and the emotional toll the abuses have taken on her were felt by many who expressed their support, even those who didn’t necessarily agree with her politically.
Heartbreaking. Although I have been a critic of her before I am truly saddened and do not wish this on her or anyone. @SenJoniErnst, accept my good intentions and prayers, and for what it’s worth, know that I and many other women are praying for you.
— Marvie Votaw (@MarvieVotaw1) January 23, 2019
Yet the left still managed to take a devastating personal experience for a human being and turn it into a political platform, disparaging the senator for her support of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings. She said she stands by her decision to confirm Kavanaugh who faced off against uncorroborated and dubious allegations of sexual assault from multiple women, including Christine Blasey Ford, all of which he vehemently denied.
“I do believe [Ford] experienced trauma, but the evidence and witnesses presented by her contradicted her story,” Ernst told Bloomberg News. “I don’t believe Justice Kavanaugh was the source of her trauma.”
I am sincerely sorry Ernst suffered this abuse. No woman should, and her husband deserves to pay for what he did to her.
That said, it disturbs me Ernst could have this experience and still disbelieve Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
Republicanism seems to truly kill empathy. https://t.co/wbyhMfA4Pg
— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) January 23, 2019
She supported Kavanaugh as SC judge.
Republicans and hypocrisy aren’t too far apart
— Sachin Kumar (@S100pc) January 23, 2019
I’m gonna need to see some corroboration. I mean, I believe she may have experienced some trauma, but can we really be sure it came at the hands of her husband? pic.twitter.com/bDW24DPbfN
— J-Money (@JDollarSign) January 22, 2019
Not so funny when it’s happening to you @SenJoniErnst
— Donna Bower (@dmbower) January 23, 2019
She ain’t gonna get much sympathy from her fellow Rs.
— AssiduousTheCruel (@TheIntegrator) January 22, 2019
I wonder if she believes Dr. Blasey-Ford now? Karma is a thing.
— Boxcar Murphy (@boxcarmurphy) January 23, 2019
Others on Twitter called out the liberals equating Ernst’s abuse and that alleged by Ford and the other women in Kavanaugh’s hearings.
This made me audibly gasp, as did the horrific replies to it.
No matter Joni Ernst’s politics, the only response that anyone should have to the news that she was physically, verbally, and mentally abused by her husband is sympathies and condolences.
Point blank and the period. https://t.co/kbpIZ8JKuE
— diane alston (@dianelyssa) January 23, 2019
Delete this. Scoring political points off of somebody being a victim is disgusting
— jimmi phoenix (@Phillies_chants) January 24, 2019
And this isn’t like the Dr Ford situation. Sorry. The left cannot use logic.
— magamama??Don’t Mess with TEXAS-Vote RED (@jkrusetexas) January 24, 2019
Hey, Joni didn’t wait 40 years to to make her accusation. I’m sure her memory is pretty clear as compared to Mrs. Fords
— Chris Armiger (@Armi7119) January 24, 2019
“Something horrible happened to one woman so therefore how dare she not unquestioningly believe another woman under completely different circumstances despite glaring holes in her story” fails every test of logic AND compassion.
— Amy Swearer (@AmySwearer) January 24, 2019
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