Sherrod Brown Fled the Building after U.S. Senate Debate, Jim Renacci Stayed to Answer Questions from Reporters

After last night’s U.S. Senate debate in Cleveland, both candidates were given the opportunity to answer media questions and to expand on or clarify any issues that came up during the debate.

Jim Renacci stood and answered questions from reporters for an additional 12 minutes.

Sherrod Brown fled the building, refusing to answer the media’s questions.

Brown, on the other hand, sent his spokesperson out defend his history of domestic abuse, according to eye-witnesses. One student journalist from Kent State University posted a video to Twitter showing a Brown spokesman trying to answer questions for his boss.

It did not go well.

Watch the 7-minute video in the tweet below from student journalist Christina Ford.

Senator Sherrod Brown cannot be here but a rep is here addressing the debate https://t.co/9AwWuUfFb8

— Christiana Ford (@christianaford_) October 14, 2018

Brown’s spokesman, Preston Maddox, twice had a chance to deny the “substance of the claim” of domestic violence and he would not.

The fact that Brown fled the scene immediately after the debate ended also proves that Renacci was spot on in what he said about his opponent during the debate. Brown doesn’t feel comfortable mingling and talking with regular, everyday Ohioans. He’s been in Washington so long that he has grown more comfortable in that setting.

“After his abysmal debate performance, liberal career politician Sherrod Brown fled the building rather than face reporters’ questions about his history of domestic abuse,” Shedd said.  “And when Brown’s spokesperson was given the opportunity – twice – to deny there was any substance to the accusations of domestic violence, he refused to answer the question.”

Instead of answering, he chose to deflect and distract by responding with an ad hominem attack on Renacci, saying  “shame on you” for even raising the issue.

“That’s because both Sherrod Brown and his campaign staff knows there is no denying the multiple affidavits that detail domestic abuse against his ex-wife over three years, that includes at least two police reports, a restraining order against Sherrod Brown and a contempt of court hearing.” Shedd said.

 

TIMELINE OF BROWN’S DOMESTIC ABUSE

May 1986	Larke Brown files for divorce from Sherrod Brown, citing neglect and extreme cruelty.
May 12, 1986	Larke filed for a restraining order against Sherrod, citing his “physical violence and abusive nature.”
June 1986	Ten women filed affidavits in favor of Larke getting custody of the children. Sherrod was depicted as an “absentee father.”
August 1986	Larke filed a motion to find Brown in contempt for failure to pay child support.
October 1986	Larke filed an affidavit that described further an incident at her home where Brown harassed her publicly. Sherrod’s spokesperson tried to downplay this incident.
1987	The divorce was granted.
April 1987	Larke filed a police report against Sherrod when he attacked her new husband by grabbing his neck and beginning to strangle him.
1986-1989	Larke repeatedly accused Sherrod of failing to pay child support, then challenged his motion to reduce his payments.
Beginning of 1989	Larke filed a police report against Sherrod for beating on the door so hard that it broke.
April 1989	Sherrod failed to pay $150.00 of medical bills and his lawyer responded and said that he would pay the bill within 30 days.
May 1991	Larke challenged Sherrod’s motion to pay less child support. This was after he lost his 1990 Secretary of State re-election.

Additional information, including the affidavits, can be found here.

– – –

Anthony Accardi is a writer and reporter for The Ohio Star.