Rep. Alan Grayson’s ex-wife has accused him of physically abusing her over a two-decade period, Politico reported Tuesday.
From 1994 to 2014, the Florida Democrat’s then-wife, Lolita Grayson, went to police at least four times with accusations of domestic abuse, according to documents she provided to Politico.
Ms. Grayson, 56, said she sought medical attention on at least two occasions.
“I want the people to know my story so they know what kind of man Alan Grayson really is,” she told Politico in her first public comments on the issue.
Through his lawyer, Mark NeJame, Mr. Grayson denied he engaged in any abuse during their 25-year marriage, Politico reported.
“Lolita is a disturbed woman. She has made one false allegation after another. Her own daughter refutes her,” Mr. NeJame said, referring to a statement from the couple’s oldest daughter, Skye Grayson. “The claims have been so ridiculous that not one time has there even been enough probable cause to bring a charge or an arrest against Alan Grayson.”
Skye Grayson, 21, told Politico that her father did nothing wrong throughout the marriage and that she and her siblings didn’t want to be “pawns in a game of power” with an unnamed “political opponent.”
“My mother has always struggled with emotional issues,” she said. “She physically lashed out at me, my siblings and our father, and then blamed us for it, victimizing us. This resulted in a considerably troubled childhood home.”
Lolita Grayson once accused Skye of assaulting her in a 2013 call to police. No arrests were made, Politico reported.
The revelations come as Mr. Grayson, challenger to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, battles Rep. Patrick Murphy in the final weeks of the Democratic primary.
After the initial story broke, Mr. Grayson was caught in a heated exchange with Politico reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere, threatening to call police after the reporter allegedly pushed him. The incident was captured on video by Mother Jones’ Patrick Caldwell, Mediaite reported.
“You pushed me,” Mr. Grayson said in the video. “I’ll be handing it over to the Capitol police, my friend.”
“I’m hoping that somebody comes here and arrests you,” the congressman said as he walked off.
Mr. Dovere addressed the incident on Twitter: “So Grayson just showed up to POLITICO hub and pushed me out of the way repeatedly, threatened to have me arrested for asking him about abuse.”
“Grayson also shoved a whole lot of other people out of the way just now to try to dodge questions about police reports of domestic abuse,” Mr. Dovere added.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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