Democratic Kansas state House candidate hints alleged physical abuse of ex-girlfriend could have been prevented by 'Medicaid for all'



A 19-year-old Democratic candidate released a statement on Sunday regarding allegations of physical abuse made by his ex-girlfriend. Aaron Coleman, who is running for a seat in the Kansas state House of Representatives, unbelievably hinted that the alleged physical abuse that he is is accused of committed could have been prevented if "Medicaid for all" was passed.

Coleman won his primary last month despite confessing that he engaged in "bullying, revenge porn, and blackmail." Coleman defeated 13-year incumbent Stan Frownfelter in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary for the 37th District. There is no Republican challenger. Kristina Smith, a paralegal and treasurer of the Wyandotte County Republican Party, is pursuing a write-in candidacy, and provides the only opposition to Coleman winning the Kansas state House seat in November.

Last month, one of Coleman's ex-girlfriends came forward with accusations that he physically abused her. Taylor Passow said she met Coleman last November, and the two started dating. She said they rented an Airbnb in Kansas City on Dec. 27, 2019.

While in the hot tub, Coleman allegedly told Passow that he was interested in having a threesome, but she said she wasn't interested, according to The Intercept. She suggested that she might break up with him for one day on his birthday so that he could have one with other women. Passow said the proposition was a harmless joke.

"He sat there for a few seconds, then he jumped on top of me, put his hands around my throat and started squeezing, and slapped me three times, and said, 'I don't know where the f*** you think you're going,'" Passow alleges. She claims that she pushed him off of her.

Passow said that Coleman demanded that she apologize for threatening to break up with him, then stormed out of the hot tub, and went to the car.

Four days later, Passow and Coleman disputed what happened in the hot tub through text messages. She reportedly texted him, "You got on top of me and started choking me and slapping me. Then I broke up with you."

Coleman allegedly replied, "That never happened. You dumped me and I smacked you and you smacked me and I immediately got up and stormed out of the hot tub."

On Sunday, Coleman addressed the accusations of physical abuse with a curious statement released on Twitter.

"While it is true I was abusive to my ex-girlfriend, I do not agree with the characterization being made about our experience in the hot tub the day after Christmas," Coleman wrote. "I did not choke her. I also don't think she is intentionally lying, as I know large quantities of alcohol could be affecting both of our memories."

"Two months I dated Taylor were mutually abusive, and this is not a justification for what I did but the reason why I must lead by example," the statement read. "But words alone are not enough today. We must strive to create a society safe for women, which we currently do not do."

"I believe if we had more early childhood education funding, and taught what healthy interpersonal relationships look like, my ex and I would have been less toxic to each other," Coleman claimed.

"Additionally, we must pass Medicaid for All so people can receive counseling and mental health support based on the need for treatment and not ability to pay," Coleman pivoted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09-06-2020Statement from Democratic Party nominee Aaron Coleman of Kansas’ 37th District on… https://t.co/lx5qUSrYDZ
— Aaron Coleman 🌹 (@Aaron Coleman 🌹)1599408097.0

Coleman, who is a community college student, confessed in August that he carried out abusive behavior toward multiple girls in middle school.

"In exercising my first amendment rights, earlier this week I crossed a boundary and offended people," Coleman said in an Aug. 1 apology. "After careful deliberation, I recognize I responded impulsively regarding a serious issue. For that I am sorry. Additionally, I apologize to the Democratic Party for my actions which are in no way a reflection of the party's ideals."

One woman said Coleman's middle school abuse included "calling me fat, telling me to kill myself, like I'm never going to find anyone, like I'm worthless, just downgrading me every day."

Passow also alleges that Coleman hinted that she kill herself. "Air out the clip into your head," he reportedly told her on Dec. 31, four days after the hot tub incident. "Mag dump yourself. Do that midnight tonight. If I never hear from you again then I'll know what happened."

Democratic candidate, 19, wins primary after admitting to past revenge porn and blackmailing girl for nude photos



A 19-year-old Democratic candidate, who confessed that he carried out abusive behavior toward multiple girls in middle school, won his primary race for the Kansas state House of Representatives. Community college student Aaron Coleman won his primary despite confessing that he engaged in "bullying, revenge porn, and blackmail."

Coleman defeated 13-year incumbent Stan Frownfelter, 823 to 809, in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary for the 37th District. The results were certified this week. There is no Republican challenger for the seat, which makes Coleman a near shoo-in for the November election.

However, Coleman has baggage that has his own party questioning whether he is fit to serve office. During the campaign, he told former Republican state lawmaker John Whitmer that he would "laugh and giggle when you get COVID and die," according to the Kansas City Star.

"In exercising my first amendment rights, earlier this week I crossed a boundary and offended people," Coleman said in an Aug. 1 apology. "After careful deliberation, I recognize I responded impulsively regarding a serious issue. For that I am sorry. Additionally, I apologize to the Democratic Party for my actions which are in no way a reflection of the party's ideals."

But there are far darker allegations against Coleman, who is accused of harassing girls online in middle school. The Kansas City Star released an editorial earlier this month that detailed the accusations against the progressive Democratic candidate.

"I was just in disbelief that another man that doesn't respect women is in power," said one of Coleman's alleged victims, who is now 18 years old.

The woman said Coleman's abuse included "calling me fat, telling me to kill myself, like I'm never going to find anyone, like I'm worthless, just downgrading me every day."

She claims that he sent her messages that read, "F*** you you f***ing ratchet fat s**t. F*** off whale. Go on a diet and get some braces."

She revealed that the abuse in sixth grade caused her to try to commit suicide.

"I tried to end my life," she said.

Another young woman alleged that Coleman attempted to extort her with one of her nude photos when they were in middle school five years ago.

"He got one of my nudes and blackmailed me with it and told me if I didn't send him more he would (send) it to all of my friends and family," she wrote on social media, according to the Star. "And when I didn't send him more, he sent it to everyone I knew."

The victim wasn't sure how Coleman obtained the naked photo of her.

"All I know is he's an awful person and he should not be allowed to run for anything," she stated.

In 2016, then-Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) signed a bill to outlaw revenge porn in the state, making it illegal to post nude photos or videos of a person on the internet without his or her consent. The first offense is presumptive probation, and the second offense is felony blackmail with up to six years in prison.

Another young woman claimed that Coleman "harassed me for months, it got so bad that he found out my family's home phone and wouldn't stop calling it until we picked up."

On his Facebook page dedicated to his campaign, Coleman admitted to the accusations.

"The charges include: bullying, revenge porn, and blackmail — I just want to make clear all these allegations are both true and occurred only digitally," a June 17 post from The Aaron Coleman for Kansas Facebook page stated before it was deleted. "I denounce these actions and they are the actions of a sick and troubled 14-yo boy."

"I made serious mistakes in middle school and I deeply regret and apologize for them. I've grown up a great deal since then," Coleman told the Star editorial board in a statement.

In an email statement to the Associated Press, Coleman said the accusations were "accurate."

Coleman noted that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder at the age of 15 because he was put "in a closet" during elementary school. Doug Powers, the assistant superintendent of the Kansas City-area school district where Coleman attended elementary school, has denied the allegations.

Coleman describes himself as a "proud feminist."

"I will work to repeal the bills my opponent passed that prohibit the civil rights of women," the candidate wrote in July. "Now more than ever, it is super important we have leaders who have dedicated their life to the advancement of women."

A spokesperson for Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told the Associated Press that Coleman is "not fit to serve in the Legislature."

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