Congressman Keith Ellison is requesting a U-S House investigation into domestic abuse allegations against him, saying it’s “because I am innocent and eager to see this entire matter resolved.” Carleton College analyst Steven Schier says Ellison likely believes he needs to get out-front of the issue to “try and be on the offensive on an issue where he’s been on the defensive for weeks.”
But Schier points out the House Ethics Committee can decide whether to investigate, and that panel has a Republican majority. “It’s not clear that they will view this as anything but a political move by Ellison, and they may not actually open an investigation,” he says.