A recently disclosed order of protection filed against Land Commissioner Candidate Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) describes verbal, physical, and psychological abuse. | okhouse.gov
A recently disclosed order of protection filed against Land Commissioner Candidate Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) describes verbal, physical, and psychological abuse. | okhouse.gov
Recently disclosed court documents detailed a history of domestic abuse by Oklahoma Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy), who is a candidate for labor commissioner.
Several Oklahoma female Republican lawmakers including the chair of the Women’s Caucus have declared Roberts “grossly unfit” for office and are calling for him to end his campaign immediately, according to a press release from the GOP Women of the Oklahoma Legislature.
A protective order filed against Roberts in 2002 by his then-wife Jennifer describes physical and emotional abuse.
"I had to sleep on the couch in our house if I wouldn't have sex with him," Jennifer stated according to court documents. "He would pour water on me, hold me down under the blanket and just try to make me feel uneasy or unsure of what he might do if I went to sleep."
Jennifer also said that at one point she "called the police because he punched me in the mouth over a song I downloaded."
"Throughout our six years of marriage, he pushed, slapped, and kicked me, even while I was pregnant," she wrote in the judge signed record. “On a daily basis, he would call me a slut, bitch, whore, and would tell me these things in front of the children."
In a statement tweeted Monday, the Roberts campaign called the reports of abuse “dirty attacks,” and pointed to a letter written by Jennifer Aug. 1 to “detail these erroneous lies.”
In the letter, Jennifer states she “was married to Sean Roberts” and that today she has “nothing bad to say about him.” However, the letter does not detail or deny the contents of court documents.
According to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s campaign manager, Donelle Harder, Roberts has not lost Stitt’s support, News 9 anchor, Storme Jones reported via Twitter.
When asked during a press conference Tuesday denouncing Roberts, Women’s Caucus chair Rep. Carol Bush, cited experiencing unfavorable “bullying” behavior from Roberts, according to News 9.
KOKH Fox 25 reports that the Oklahoma Bankers Association recently canceled a campaign event following the reports of past abuse.
"This violent behavior has no place in politics, governance, or leadership… it’s not OK," Bush told News 9. "Roberts is “grossly unfit for higher office, or his current office for that matter. Rep. Roberts’ past behavior of threats and controlling behavior towards his previous wife and minor kids are characteristics of someone who should not hold any office and are inexcusable."
Roberts is challenging incumbent Leslie Osborn in the Aug. 23 primary runoff for labor commissioner, according to Ballotpedia.
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