Another day, another case of the GOP looking the other way when it comes to women’s safety. This time, the party has decided to dismiss accusations made by women of domestic and sexual violence against three candidates in next year’s key midterm Senate races—two of whom have the support of former “grab-em-by the p***y” President Trump.
First, there’s ex-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who is desperate to get back into politics. This comes three years after he was forced to resign after being accused of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations in 2018. Greitens’ former hairstylist accused him of sexually and physically abusing her and attempting to blackmail her with a semi-nude photo he took of her without her consent.
The Washington Post reported that while Greitens described the relationship as an extramarital affair and the relations “consensual,” the woman, referred to only as Witness 1, said the relationship “included unwanted and potentially coerced sexual acts that she felt afraid to say no to and physical violence.”
According to The Post, Greitens bound and blindfolded the woman in his basement when his wife was out of town. He then ripped her shirt off and took a photo of her chest, threatening that if she told anyone about his sexual assault and behavior, he was “going to take these pictures, and … put them everywhere.” His motivation? “[The photos] are going to be everywhere, and then everyone will know what a little whore you are.”
Although felony charges against him were dropped, the Missouri Legislature launched an impeachment investigation, which led to Greitens’ resignation.
When Greitens announced his Senate run earlier this year, he received a resounding endorsement from the likes of Rudy Guiliani, former mayor of New York and President Trump’s most devoted henchman.
Next up is Sean Parnell, a leading Republican candidate in Pennsylvania. He is a former Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan and unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2020.
In 2017 and again in 2018, Parnell’s wife filed temporary protection-from-abuse orders against him. Neither of the orders was extended after hearings with Parnell and his wife, and both were later expunged.
“Sean’s actions and attitude toward women are disturbing, well-documented, and disqualifying,” Senate candidate Jeff Bartos told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “The citizens of Pennsylvania deserve to know this information.”
Last up is NFL legend and Trump-minion Herschel Walker, now the front-runner for the GOP nomination in Georgia.
According to public records reviewed by Associated Press, Walker repeatedly threatened ex-wife Cindy Grossman during his divorce. In 2005, Grossman secured a protective order against him, alleging violence and controlling behavior, AP reports.
In an interview with ABC News, Grossman said Walker held a gun to her head, saying, “I’m going to blow your f---ing brains out.” She filed for divorce in 2001, citing “physically abusive and extremely threatening behavior.”
Both Walker and Parnell have the backing of Trump, someone who obviously ignores accusations of sexual misconduct, as he’s been accused of it by 26 women. And Republican senators seemingly don’t care much about it either.
“Americans are pretty forgiving,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said when HuffPost asked about the allegations against Walker. “I don’t think that’s a deal-breaker. I actually think he’s quite a good candidate.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), herself a survivor of sexual assault and domestic abuse, acknowledged Walker “had some baggage there” but added the Heisman Trophy-winner had “addressed it.”
Mitch McConnell—or “swamp turtle” as Dem. Amy McGrath, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, likes to call him—told Politico about Walker, “I think there’s every indication he’s going to be a good candidate.”