Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa endured verbal, mental and at least one incident of physical abuse during her marriage, according to documents filed in her divorce from her husband of 26 years, Gail Ernst.
When they married in 1992, Gail Ernst was 39 and a career Army man. Joni Ernst was 22 and had recently graduated from college.
In her divorce documents, Joni Ernst says:
- Her husband assaulted her after she confronted him about his “special relationship” with their daughter’s babysitter. She fled to her mother’s house with their daughter in the middle of the night.
- After the incident, Gail Ernst agreed to counseling, but told her not to discuss the assault in the sessions. She agreed.
- “Gail has been very cruel. This has been an extremely painful journey.”
- Gail Ernst belittled her and became angry when she achieved her goals.
- In July 2018, Joni Ernst discovered email exchanges between her husband and his long-time girlfriend.
- Gail Ernst referred to his wife, who was 17 years younger than him, as his “retirement plan.”
- “Although Gail seems to think he can live off of my salary for the rest of his life, he is doing everything he can to destroy me and ruin my chance for re-election, which would end the gravy train he apparently plans to ride,” Joni Ernst wrote, according to the Des Moines Register.
These are all signs of sociopathic behavior. Here is what I would say to Joni Ernst: Good riddance.
Read more:
Divorce filing: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst says her husband physically attacked her, on DesMoinesRegister.com.
Sen. Joni Ernst says she was in an abusive marriage, on DMCityView.com.
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