Pennsylvania US Senate Candidate Sean Parnell Suspends Campaign After Losing Bitter Custody Battle
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- One of the leading U.S. Senate candidates in Pennsylvania is suspending his campaign after he lost a bitter custody battle. A judge ruled Monday that Sean Parnell's estranged wife will have sole legal custody of their three children.
Parnell's wife testified that the Republican candidate choked her and hurt their children, but Parnell denied those allegations under oath.
Former President Donald Trump already endorsed Parnell in the race to replace Sen. Pat Toomey.
The judge, James Arner, wrote in an order Monday that Parnell's estranged wife, Laurie Snell, will have sole legal custody of the school-age children, as well as primary physical custody. Parnell will have physical custody on three weekends per month, Arner wrote.
Snell was "the more credible witness," Arner summed up in his 16-page opinion, saying she could remember and describe details in a convincing manner.
Pennsylvania's Senate seat is opening up with the retirement in 2023 of two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, and both Republicans and Democrats have a big field of candidates in the politically divided state.
Parnell's withdrawal comes as many in the state Republican Party remain undecided about their field, which includes conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, real estate investor Jeff Bartos and Carla Sands, Trump's ambassador to Denmark.
Also swirling is a suggestion from Mehmet Oz — the cardiac surgeon and longtime host of TV's "Dr. Oz Show" who gained fame as a protege of Oprah Winfrey — that he is being encouraged to enter the Republican primary.
Parnell's withdrawal represents a major blow to Trump, who had enthusiastically endorsed Parnell in September with the encouragement of his eldest son.
Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich said Trump and Parnell spoke before Parnell's announcement and that Parnell informed Trump of his intention to suspend his campaign, given the decision.
He said on Twitter that the Pennsylvania Senate race "remains a top priority" for the former president and that "rallying our movement behind the best America 1st candidate remains critical."
Parnell's candidacy was a constant presence in the case, with the judge noting in his opinion that Parnell argued that Snell "is motivated to embarrass him in public and damage his political career," while Snell argued that Parnell "is motivated to preserve a public image and his political career."
Snell testified about enduring years of rage and abuse from Parnell, including once when he choked her so hard she had to bite him to get free and another time when he slapped one of their children hard enough to leave welts through the back of the child's shirt.
Parnell's testimony, rather, he found "less credible," saying Parnell was "somewhat evasive" and simply denied Snell's allegations.
"Upon consideration of the credible evidence, I find that Sean Parnell did commit some acts of abuse in the past" against Snell, Arner wrote. He also believed that Parnell slapped the child, as Snell testified, Arner wrote.
But, he wrote, the fact that Snell has agreed in the past that Parnell can have substantial periods of unsupervised custody indicates that she does not view him as posing harm to the children, Arner wrote.
Snell's lawyer, Jen Gilliland Vanasdale, said Snell "is grateful that justice prevailed."
Testifying under oath on Nov. 8, Parnell denied Snell's allegations, saying he had never choked her or pinned her down, and never struck one of their children in a fit of rage.
Snell and Parnell have been living apart for at least three years, but had split custody of their children evenly.
Parnell's history with his wife became a subject in the Republican primary campaign, days after Trump's endorsement.
Parnell, a decorated former Army Ranger who led a platoon in Afghanistan, penned a memoir of his service in Afghanistan, which became a New York Times bestseller. He also has written four action novels, and emerged as a regular guest on Fox News programs before running for Congress last year.
Trump's endorsement came in early September, as Parnell was an in-demand guest on cable TV news shows and conservative podcasts to discuss the Taliban's seizing control of Afghanistan ahead of the withdrawal of American forces.
Even amid headlines about the custody case, Trump had backed up his support for Parnell by scheduling a fundraiser with Donald Trump Jr. on Jan. 25 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
