Posted on 06/17/2005 4:59:50 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Congressman’s lawyer says accuser asked for money not to go through with the suit.
U.S. Rep. Don Sherwood denies ever assaulting a Maryland woman who says he repeatedly beat her during their five-year “romantic and intimate” relationship.
Cynthia Ore, 29, of Rockville, Md. filed a lawsuit against the 64-year-old Sherwood on Wednesday, saying the married congressman from Tunkhannock punched and choked her several times since they met in 1999 at a Young Republicans meeting in Washington.
“Congressman Sherwood emphatically denies that he ever physically abused Ms. Ore in any way at any time,” said Sherwood’s attorney, Bobby Burchfield, in a released statement. “He has instructed his lawyers to defend the case aggressively.”
Burchfield said Ore and Stein Sperling, the law firm that had represented her up until a few weeks ago, failed in their “extortionate demands for a multi-million dollar settlement.”
When asked if he was accusing Ore of extortion, Burchfield said he’s “not alleging extortion in the criminal sense,” but said Ore and her former attorneys asked for an excessive amount of money not to file the lawsuit.
“The lawsuit is plainly intended to extract a lucrative and unjustified settlement through the threat of inflicting personal and political damage on Congressman Sherwood and his family,” Burchfield stated.
Ore has denied trying to settle the case. In fact, she insists she dismissed Stein Sperling because the law firm was more interested in mediating the matter before a suit was filed than taking it to court. Ore, whose family owns Spanish supermarkets and restaurants, has said the case has never been about money. She said she hired attorney Patrick M. Reagan to take the case so it would go to trial.
“I’m just looking for justice,” Ore has said. “I’m just looking for a day in court.”
Ore recently said Sherwood should apologize to her “for abusing me and telling me he was separated” from his wife.
Sherwood did not return calls seeking comment Thursday, and attorneys from Stein Sperling could not be reached.
The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court of the District of Columbia, asks for $5.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages and accuses the congressman of assault and battery, gross negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The complaint states that throughout a long-term relationship, Sherwood, R-Tunkhannock, repeatedly struck Ore on her face, neck, chest and back; violently yanked her hair; and tried to strangle her by placing his hands around her neck. It also says Sherwood threatened to harm Ore if she talked to police about the alleged abuse.
In the complaint, Ore states she lived with Sherwood in apartment 215 at 110 D St. in Washington for much of the relationship and that he repeatedly promised to marry her and start a family. The apartment complex, called the Hill House, is occupied mostly by members of Congress.
The suit details two alleged assaults that occurred inside the apartment: one on June 24 and one on Sept. 15 that resulted in Ore calling 911.
In his statement Thursday, Burchfield said the suit was “based in large part on allegations that have already been fully investigated and rejected by the pertinent law enforcement authorities.”
According to the suit:
Sherwood, who is married and has three daughters, struck Ore on her face and body with a closed fist on June 24 in an “unprovoked, cowardly, brutal and vicious attack” while she attempted to sleep and then began choking her.
Ore says she went to the hospital after that attack, but didn’t call police.
She did call 911 after the Sept. 15 incident in which she said Sherwood started an argument with Ore, then “suddenly and without any provocation or justification,” punched her in the face and body with a closed fist, then choked her, according to the complaint.
Ore says she screamed, wiggled away from Sherwood and went into the bathroom, where she turned on the shower and sink in an attempt to hide the sound of the 911 call.
Police responded to the 911 call, but did not file charges. Capitol Police responded to the scene first and handed it off to the Metropolitan Police. According to the Capitol Police Web site, part of their duty is to protect congressman and other politicians.
Metropolitan police said they saw no physical evidence of injury to Ore and noted that “both parties have left out significant information or are not willing to discuss in detail what actually happened.”
Police said Ore “did not appear to be of sound mind” and initially said she was choked, then changed her story, saying “nothing happened.”
Ore admits she was frazzled, but denies changing her story. She said police seemed more interested in protecting Sherwood than her. She has said she drove herself to the hospital after the alleged attack. She said she had a contusion on her forehead and tooth damage from her mouth slamming into the armrest of a couch. She says she has medical records of the incident and has had to take painkillers for the tooth pain, which she said might be corrected with surgery.
Ore has declined to release copies of the medical records.
Sherwood has denied choking Ore and has referred to her as a “casual acquaintance.” He told police he was giving her a backrub when she “jumped up” and ran to the bathroom.
Three days after a Times Leader story ran on April 30 about the 911 call, Sherwood issued a faxed statement apologizing for causing his family and supporters “pain and embarrassment.”
Sherwood represents the 10th Congressional District, which includes all of Bradford, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wayne and Wyoming counties and parts of Lackawanna, Luzerne and Lycoming counties.
Previous threads:
Sherwood denies choking woman (US Rep from PA)
Republicans rallying to help Sherwood get past report (Congressman,back rub,911)
Sherwood ‘sorry’ for pain to family
Sherwood flap heats up (pic of mistress included)
Sherwood a charmer, Ore recounts (Congressman, mistress)
Woman alleges congressman abused her in $5.5 million lawsuit
Gee, the chick comes gift wrapped and everything!!!!
Looking at her, I doubt she makes it into the top 10. What the hell did he ever see in her?
I'm close to two years older than this woman, and she looks 15 years older than I do... assuming if I looked 25.
Neither of these people sound like they are worth the powder and shot it would take to blow them to Hell.
I note the fearless performance of the Capitol Police, on the other hand. They did stride on to the scene and determine that she had not badly bruised the Congressthing's hands with her neck. Glad to know that they're looking out for Congressional careers.
Most of the people in Congress, of either party, seem to be real human trash. How many Congressmen do you figure have one of these bimbos on the side? 300? 400?
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Maybe he enjoyed playing "choke a bitch" ?
You sure that's not Dean in a wig?
Thank God the GOP made the district several points more Republican in 2002 redistricting. Back when the district contained Scranton, one of the younger Caseys would be able to run and win against the "scandal-tarred" incumbent. (Pat Casey came close to beating Sherwood under the old lines, and had Sherwood's infidelity and alleged abuse been an issue Casey would have surely won.)
I was beginning to think this congressman was just another scumbag political hack, but I changed my mind when I read at the end that he had the class to FAX an apology to his family! Nice personal touch, huh?
Sherwood obviously needs to be taken out (nevermind needing a visit to an eye doctor), and now so does Walter Jones, Jr. in NC. What a waste and what a shame.
They should get another Repub to beat him as that is scummy maneuver and they can surely do better
"They should get another Repub to beat him as that is scummy maneuver and they can surely do better"
Pat Casey may try to run against Sherwood for the third time. He won't actually win the PA-10, but his entry could, perhaps, depress GOP turnout to help out his brother, Bob Casey Jr.
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