Ky. candidate Comer denies abusing college girlfriend

LEXINGTON – Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate James Comer vehemently denied physically abusing a girlfriend in college and driving her to have an abortion nearly 20 years ago in a press conference Tuesday.

The allegations, published Monday evening by the Louisville Courier-Journal, came two weeks before Agriculture Commissioner Comer and three other rivals square off in the GOP primary May 19.

"The notion that I could commit such a horrific offense is simply beyond any semblance of reason," Comer said with his wife T.J. by his side. "The charges are completely incompatible with everything I stand for."

Comer, who had trailed slightly behind frontrunner Hal Heiner from Louisville in the most recent public polls, said other more recent surveys showed him in the lead "for the first time in 10 weeks."

As he committed to keeping his campaign going, Comer questioned the timing of the story, sparked by a letter from Comer's former girlfriend Marilyn Thomas to the Courier-Journal.

"I certainly don't think this is coincidental," said Comer, who held a press conference earlier in the day as agriculture commissioner to tout successes in the state's pilot hemp program.

Comer said he was looking into "every legal option available," including action against Thomas, Lexington blogger Michael Adams – who has previously published the allegations and has previously been tied to the Heiner campaign – as well as the Louisville newspaper for printing the story. The Courier-Journal and The Enquirer are both owned by Gannett.

"You all have been contacted by these shadowy figures for more than a year trying to pitch this story," Comer said to the collected media at the press conference. "I have turned everything over and am an open book on this."

The story broke as Comer's running mate state Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, said Monday night in a debate televised statewide that the blogger Adams was being investigated by a Kenton County grand jury for allegedly threatening McDaniel's daughters over the internet.

"It started with him e-mailing me and asking how I was going to explain this to my daughters (ages 7 and 10) when they grew up," McDaniels told the Enquirer Tuesday. "Then it became direct mentions of them on Facebook and how he was going to make sure they knew. At that point, my wife and I took it to the authorities."

McDaniel said he went public because of previous stories linking Adams to Heiner's running mate KC Crosbie.

"This goes directly to character, especially if KC is directly coordinating with this guy who has shown he has issues," McDaniel said. "This is why good people don't get into politics. But we are going to keep fighting on and let the truth come out and show that we are in it to win this."

Comer indicated he hoped the grand jury would also investigate any ties between the Heiner campaign and Adams. But Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders has not indicated whether that is part of any ongoing review, citing the confidentiality of the grand jury process. He did say that "voluminous documentation was presented by counsel on a wide variety of topics."

Heiner's campaign declined comment on the story, as did the campaigns of fellow GOP hopefuls Matt Bevin and Will T. Scott.

But Tuesday night at a Kenton County Republican Party fundraiser in Covington, Heiner told The Enquirer that he "absolutely" was not involved in getting the woman to come forward with her allegations. Heiner last week apologized to Comer after a story in the Lexington Herald-Leader indicated that the spouse of running mate KC Crosbie had corresponded with the blogger Adams over the allegations.

"As I said last week, I was unaware of anyone in our campaign that had contact with this blogger," Heiner said.

Comer said Tuesday his last meeting with former-girlfriend Thomas took place in 2006 in New York City and was cordial. He even displayed a book she had given him at the time.

Comer's wife T.J. also said there was no history of any abuse in their marriage when asked directly. Comer also said no GOP official had asked him to withdraw from the race.

"The people of Kentucky want answers, and we've given them answers, that is why we are here today," Comer said. "Now we're going to move on. This is one person.

"The people know me, and they are standing with me on this. I've always been within 60 miles of my hometown and never have ducked anything."

Heiner did however pick up an endorsement from former Congressman Geoff Davis of Hebron at the Kenton County GOP Spring Fling event. Davis' successor U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Garrison, has already endorsed Comer.

"Yes, I endorse and I support Hal Heiner, but we can all get together afterward," said Davis, who also was given a lifetime achievement award by the Kenton County GOP. "The big fight is the mission afterward. Getting that mansion is more important than being mad afterward."

But those supporting Comer at fundraising event didn't back down.

Kenton County Judge-executive Kris Knochelmann said he is not concerned about any political backlash if more details come out.

"I know James Comer and Chris McDaniel personally, and I trust their judgment," said Knochelmann, who has been campaigning door to door every weekend for the Comer campaign.

Massie also reiterated his support for Comer after endorsing him earlier this year.

"Comer is the only one to issue tangible proof," Massie said, referring to the book Comer showed during the press conference. "Until the other party produces some kind of proof, I believe Comer 100 percent."

Other Comer supporters included state Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, who said he wouldn't believe anything that came out "two weeks before an election."

And in a Facebook post, state Rep. Diane St. Onge, R-Lakeside Park, also backed Comer and McDaniel.

"I stand with the Comers and the McDaniels in protesting the deplorable political maneuvering that is currently being waged," St. Onge wrote. "Other campaigns may be concerned about their ever decreasing number of supporters and that their desperate times call for desperate measures, but such a despicable attempt to insult the integrity of James Comer is disgusting."