Minnesota legislator quits race after daughter says he molested her

[lindysalsagal]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/22/lawmaker-quits-race-after-daughter-says-he-molested-her-more-than-decade/?utm_term=.4765e1b52e1d

By Reis Thebault
September 22 at 2:00 PM
A Minnesota state representative has ended his reelection campaign after his daughter alleged that the Republican lawmaker touched her inappropriately for more than 10 years, beginning when she was 9.

In a statement Friday, Jim Knoblach, of St. Cloud, Minn., denied the accusations but said he was ending his campaign because he was “not willing to spend six weeks fighting with my daughter in the media.”

“I love my children more than anything, and would never do anything to hurt them,” Knoblach’s statement read. “Her allegations are false.”

Knoblach’s announcement came as Minnesota Public Radio News prepared to publish a lengthy report that detailed the allegations against the eight-term state representative and included interviews with his daughter, Laura Knoblach, who shared extensive documentation with the station.[/div]

[Iliyah]

1. SICK

[lindysalsagal]

2. Needs to be investigated. Some kids lie, but all pedophiles lie.

If she's right, more gop family values at work.

[rurallib]

4. I wonder what this would be copycat accusations of

Haven't heard of many daughters accusing fathers of violating them in the news lately. Maybe there is something more locally?

I was wondering that when this started to come out and could think of nothing recent, which to my mind added even more to the daughter being truthful.

surely hope she can get beyond this someday.

[lunatica]

7. It has been investigated by the local police years ago

This has legs which the article shows.

[lindysalsagal]

3. More here. Says she told schools/police way back.

Police didn't want to cross an important politician.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/09/21/knoblach-ends-campaign-amid-abuse-allegations

Knoblach's daughter, Laura, alleges that the prominent legislator inappropriately touched her for most of her life, behavior she confided to close friends, family and authority figures at her school and church for more than a decade.

She said she decided to tell her story to MPR News after exhausting other means to hold her father accountable, including a 2017 investigation by local law enforcement. No charges resulted. She provided MPR News with extensive documentation about her attempts to get help.

Laura Knoblach, 23, said she first remembers her father, an eight-term state representative, touching her when she was 9 years old. He came into her room after she'd gone to bed and climbed in and laid down behind her.

Much more

According to the file, an investigator told Laura Knoblach that her father's behavior didn't cross any of the five degrees of criminal sexual conduct as defined in state law.

Read it all. Sounds legit.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Another family values Republican

[Runningdawg]

6. I'm actually surprised

his poll numbers didn't take a leap. Any kind of abuse involving a female is GOP street cred.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. Interestingly, molestation is not the allegation, and is partly why charges were never brought.

ETA: OTOH, his actions were deeply inappropriate; it’s clear he knew where the line was, and that a family structure based on submission to authority and unquestioning obedience would protect him. I’m so impressed she never stopped trying to get someone to help her.

[lindysalsagal]

9. Nice Avatar. Also, another case of "not actionable," but still politically toxic. Just like Kavanaug

It might not have risen high enough to be called assault when Kavanaugh attempted to assault Ford, but it certainly is more than enough to derail his advancement to scotus.

[jcgoldie]

13. She's tough

A very successful triathlete. Does ironman competitions including "the deca" in which each leg is 10 times the length of a normal ironman and it takes weeks to complete.

[Scurrilous]

10. ...

[Greywing]

11. I believe daughter is totally legit

She has been speaking out about this for a few years now and she did report this to her school, police etc when she was younger. MPR just recently decided to pick up the story ...

[uponit7771]

12. WOW !! "She provided MPR News with extensive documentation about her attempts to get help. " 10 yrs

... and she had it all documented !!!

Some horrible bastards !!

I'm thinking of what I would've done if I was in any of those officials places and it seems like minimum an anonymous tip to the police would've done something.

[HipChick]

14. K&R

[ehrnst]

15. kicked.