The organization #MeTooOhio released an ad last week that targeted incumbent Ohio Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown with decades-old allegations that he abused his then-wife Larke.
Larke Recchie has slammed the ad and described Republicans as “disgusting” for using her family to score political points.
From The Daily Caller:
In 1986, Sen. Brown was in the midst of a tense divorce with his then-wife of seven years, Larke Recchie. Records from the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Ohio show that Recchie said in her divorce complaint that Brown “has been guilty of gross neglect of duty and extreme cruelty.”Recchie also sought a restraining order against Brown to keep him from “doing bodily harm” to her. Recchie claimed to be “in fear for the safety and well-being of myself and our children due to [Brown’s] physical violence and abusive nature” and said Brown “intimidated, pushed, shoved and bullied” her on multiple occasions.A judge granted a seven-count restraining order against Brown. Recchie soon accused Brown of violating the order and said he “pushed me up against the wall with his arms in order to pass and entered the house.”According to a Columbus Dispatch article from 1989, Recchie again accused her ex-husband of violent behavior. This time, she said, Brown pounded on her door so hard that he broke it and assaulted her new husband, Joseph Recchie. Both Recchies filed police reports at the time but did not end up pressing charges.
Brown has always denied the allegations. Recchie continues to insist that her accusations “were only ‘angry words’ as part of an ‘unfriendly’ divorce.”
Recchie may have a point because over the years her and Sherrod have remained close. Recchie and her husband have even held fundraisers for Brown. From 10TV:
In a statement released from Brown’s office, Brown’s ex-wife Larke Recchie said, “This isn’t the first time someone has gone after my family to score cheap political points. I’m dismayed that Congressman Renacci would do something this shameless, despite the fact that I’ve already addressed this matter. I was proud to support Sherrod in 2006 and 2012 — just as I am this time around. Anyone who suggests he is not an honorable man is just wrong. He’s a great father to our daughters Emily and Liz and he’s a wonderful grandfather to our grandchildren. Disparaging my family for political gain is disgusting, and Congressman Renacci should know better.”
#MeTooOhio’s spokeswoman Alice Stewart explained that the organization did not coordinate with Brown’s opponent, Ohio State Rep. Jim Renacci.
But Renacci quickly jumped on after the ad aired. He emailed out this statement: “Brown’s well–documented history of domestic violence is deeply troubling. Ohioans deserve to know all the facts, and judge his fitness for public office for themselves.”
[Featured image via YouTube]
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