Wife of US Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., obtains protective injunction against him

[dixiegrrrrl]

Selected paragraphs from the story:

Lolita Grayson's petition for the injunction, dated Monday, says her husband pushed her against a door, causing her to fall to the ground, during a confrontation Saturday at their home on Oak Park Road, near Windermere.

The incident comes just less than two months after Lolita Grayson filed a divorce petition stating that their marriage of nearly 24 years was "irretrievably broken."

Photos filed by Lolita Grayson's attorneys with the petition show large bruises to her left leg and left shoulder.

Her complaint alleges that, "from time to time" in the past, her husband "has battered [her] and the parties' minor children," though she has not previously sought an injunction against him.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-alan-grayson-domestic-violence-wife-20140304,0,7338590.story

[msongs]

1. great mom not to report it if her kids were being "battered" nt

[JI7]

2. and he is a piece of shit as a human being if he did that

[Mass]

11. Many battered women do not report because they are afraid or ashamed.

(and this happens to people that you would think perfect).

Not saying this is the case here, but your assumption that she is necessarily guilty is very wrong.

[dsc]

35. that would explain not report his hitting her

but not the non reporting of him hitting the kids. If she didn't report that, I have a major problem with her conduct as well as his.

[mythology]

12. Battered is the official legal word I believe

But there are lots of people who stay in abusive relationships longer than they should from an outsider's perspective. With or without kids involved. Abusers are very good at worming their way into their victim's head and finding what will convince them to stay.

[chrisa]

57. Plz don't blame the victim. It's wrong.

[NCTraveler]

61. So sad that women on du have to read crap like this.

First post, right out of the box.

[seabeyond]

68. and. and throw that jab.... at the victims? yup. nt

[NV Whino]

3. Lolita?

Okay, I'm not going to say any more.

[rudolph the red]

39. That's a pretty fucked up thing to say,

are you implying that she must be a gold digger because of her name? I take it personally because my girlfriend is named Lolita.

[DrDan]

40. whoa - that's pretty offensive

[ScreamingMeemie]

41. Based on your opening, I would say that's probably for the best...

[MineralMan]

45. Not saying any more is a great option.

I'd take it if I were you.

[demwing]

49. No no, SAY it

I'm sure that everyone would like to know who you are, without the mask

[seabeyond]

69. 2nd post. you men do not mess around taking down a victim when it serves you, do you

[hlthe2b]

4. ah, shit...

I don't know what the truth is, but.... ah, shit....

[2naSalit]

5. Hmmm

wonder what the real story is... meaning whether she's telling the truth or if this is a divorce ploy (I've seen some duzies in my day). Not making a judgement call here, just wondering. The media, in FL, might be eager to get some dirt on the Congressman since he's such a threat to the RWNJs.

Just sayin'

[brooklynite]

21. How is he a "threat"?

He says something they don't like?

Other than making liberals feel good, has Grayson actually accomplished anything substantial?

[Wilms]

28. Well now that you ask...

Best known in his first term for making incendiary comments about Republicans, Grayson has focused on working with Republicans to pass amendments that "appeal to the libertarian streak in the GOP". He lobbies colleagues personally and in July 2013, David Weigel of Slate magazine called him "the most effective member of the House" and said that he was approaching "an unheralded title: The congressman who’s passed more amendments than any of his 434 peers".

It's called wikipedia. Pretty cool, huh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Grayson

[2naSalit]

34. Thanks for

filling in the blank!

[former9thward]

53. What are those amendments?

Interesting Wiki leaves that 'fact' out.

[seabeyond]

71. sure. much more likely the victim is lying, she is a woman after all. 4th post and cannot help

but going after the victim.

first she failed as a mother for his violence.
then lolita? whore?
now the lyin' woman.

i am so not fuckin' surprised.

time to walk from this disgusting thread

at the very least, stand neutral.

[BainsBane]

7. All such allegations need to be taken seriously

regardless of who the accused is.

[riversedge]

14. agree.

[OKNancy]

18. yes.. I can't believe the excuses being made either

[Boom Sound 416]

22. ...

[TDale313]

27. Absolutely. N/T

[bravenak]

29. I agree.

I hope she's in a place where she feels safe.

[LeftyMom]

37. Yep.

DU is disappointing today.

[Seeking Serenity]

38. Read my sig. Should explain.

From George Orwell's 1947 essay "On Nationalism"

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. yikes.

[Mass]

9. A few answers here are perfect examples of sexism...

[bigwillq]

10. If true, What a POS Alan is (nt)

[Jefferson23]

13. Wow that is shocking. n/t

[riversedge]

15. The Rep has a witness--says he did not shove......

In the statement released by his office, Alan Grayson said his wife initiated the violence.

"Sadly, it was Ms. Grayson who physically attacked the Congressman as he attempted to visit with his children. He did not respond to Ms. Grayson's violent assault," the statement said.

It added that Lolita Grayson has become "increasingly erratic" since filing for divorce, and her husband "is deeply concerned by her recent behavior and is profoundly pained by her accusations."

Juan Lopez, the congressman's director of constituent services, told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday that he was present at the Grayson home Saturday and watched the incident from about 15 feet away.

Lopez said Alan Grayson never shoved or struck his wife: "Absolutely not .... It's just unfortunate that this is happening and that she would say something like this."....

[Jefferson23]

16. I read all of it, this is a wait and see for me, as to who is responsible or not...but I am shocked.

[JI7]

17. witness who works for Grayson

[leftyohiolib]

26. another one already deciding on guilt

[Ikonoklast]

59. I had no witnesses whatever when my then wife assaulted me.

But I did have the scars to show for it.

She also has serious psychiatric issues, as alleged by Rep. Grayson about his wife.


No one believed that I was the victim of spousal abuse until I appealed the court to appoint a guardian ad litem to represent my children, who then interviewed them.

They, too, were being physically and emotionally abused by their mother.


A court order was issued the day after that interview for my ex to vacate the premises and have no contact with me or my children.

Only then. No one believed me that I could get struck by a woman and not respond in kind.

[Whisp]

67. so very sorry you had to go through that, Ikonoklast.

[Ikonoklast]

73. I knew it was my wife's illness, and not my wife that was making her do those things.

I battled for four years trying everything I knew, using every resource I could in order to get her the help she desperately needed, and was failed by every single institution.


In the end her mental illnesses won.

I had to abandon her in order to save my children and myself.



It has been 16 years since then, and not one day goes by when I am not tormented by guilt over it.

Not one.

[Whisp]

74. ...

[BainsBane]

20. According to the article, her attorney says she has visible bruises

Even if she did initiate it, that doesn't excuse Grayson's harming her. He does not claim to be bruised.
Ultimately it's a matter for the police to investigate, but I see no reason why a Democratic representative would be any less likely to engage in this kind of behavior than a Republican.

[leftyohiolib]

25. "that doesn't excuse Grayson's harming her." wow he's convicted already.

[BainsBane]

30. Right, that's exactly what I said.

Try reading instead.

[HappyMe]

65. 100% correct.

Being a Democrat doesn't automatically make a person wonderful and incapable of this kind of behavior.

I'm sure that the truth will come out after this is investigated.

[kelliekat44]

19. This is a sad situation for both parties and the truth is going to be difficult prove without

witnesses. I like Alan Grayson as fearless Dem. I cannot support a wife abuser tho, if this is true.

[alp227]

23. FUUUUUUU...can't be serious...

right wingers are gonna use this to bait voters into going R in 2014. UGH

[ismnotwasm]

31. That's fucked up

Who did what or how will be decided by the courts, but those poor kids.

[cali]

32. I am not shocked.

I keep quiet about Grayson because he's not worth getting in a fight over, imo, but I have a kind of gut dislike of him.

[dionysus]

36. +1

[ScreamingMeemie]

42. I do as well.

He proved, with SeaWorld, he'll go wherever the money is.

[idendoit]

33. Seems to me he is a hot head in public.

How much he might be one in private is surprising.

[Orrex]

43. The absolute first thing we should do is rush to judgment.

[liberal_at_heart]

54. yes we have some on here who already seem to know whether he is guilty or not. These people must

amazing abilities. I will wait to hear more and see if there is evidence either way.

[Orrex]

55. I agree.

Usually I have no problem jumping in and shooting my mouth off, but in cases like these I've found it's almost always best to hold off a while.

[Ikonoklast]

60. He's a man accused of abuse. He's guilty. Period.

So many here are showing their biases.


I was the victim of spousal abuse.

I know from first hand experience that men are always assumed to be the aggressor and the abuser by law enforcement, health care professionals, and the legal system.


To those that take that side of the argument as the default setting, I say go fuck yourself, because you just might be dead fucking wrong.

[Orrex]

64. You raise an important and unfortunate point

Even here on DU we sometimes see a trivializing attitude toward men as victims of domestic abuse, if not outright denial of the phenomenon.

I am sorry to hear of your own experience, and I hope that my tone didn't come of as flippantly dismissive of the victims, male or female.

[Ikonoklast]

70. You pointed out that not all the facts are known on the matter.

And are keeping an open mind until more investigation reveals just where the truth lies.

You need not apologize to me for anything.




Those here calling for Rep. Grayson's head should be ashamed of themselves. They are being knee-jerk reactionaries of the worst kind.


I don't know what actually happened between the congressman and his wife, and neither does anyone here.

Yet they vote to condemn.

[bigdarryl]

44. That's not good for his reelection

[MineralMan]

46. Political positions are no indicator of personality.

I'll withhold judgment on this, and wait to see what transpires.

[MADem]

77. True that. Look at Alec Baldwin. He's a reliable Dem but he can be hotheaded and homophobic and

pretty damn dumb in his personal life. It gets him in trouble.

Big picture and close up don't always match.

[Le Taz Hot]

47. So, according to a few on DU,

she's a bad mother for not getting out sooner or she's making all this up to prop up her reasons to divorce him.

Couldn't POSSIBLY be because he might have actually done these things to her. And, even if he did, it's all her fault!

No, there's no misogyny on DU.

And now I am going to say something about Grayson that I've not said on DU before. There's something wrong with him. I had to develop good instincts about people at a very young age in order to survive and I'm telling you, there's something wrong there. I guarantee you all is not what it seems with this guy. Mark my words.

[Boom Sound 416]

50. Agreed

He's got a streak in him. It's palpable.

[bravenak]

76. I feel it too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

52. +1

I "liked" Alan Grayson for awhile on FB, and then got a super "ick" feeling about him. Beginning with his support of SeaWorld.

[Whisp]

56. Never trusted that Slithereen

I hope none of the OP is true, tho.
The family must be going through hell and that is not good for anyone. I hope everyone gets the help that they need.

Sad day.

[seabeyond]

72. 3 out of first 4 posts. bad mother for his violence. lolita/whore?. woman lying.

walking out of the thread now, i see your post

yup

[HappyMe]

51. They have to take all of these

kinds of accusations seriously.

[stevenleser]

58. Orlando Sentinel article suggests an open Domestic Violence investigation. I will be interested to

see what the results are of that investigation.

[NCTraveler]

62. While the guy is clearly a hot head....

When 1%ers divorce it is often quite nasty. Seems that there is an investigation into the allegations and more will be known at some point. In stories like this I almost always support the woman initially, I admit that. Very few men have to live in fear for their lives because of their spouse. That is not the case for women.

[yurbud]

63. progressivism is a bottom up movement. If we end up losing Grayson because these allegations

turn out to be true, that will be a temporary set back at best.

The solution is for more of us to run for office and get into the mix in other ways.

[doc03]

66. I always thought he had anger management issues n/t