Dems' Preferred Illinois Lt. Gov Candidate Arrested for Domestic Battery

Meredith Jessup | February 04, 2010 3:13 PM

On Tuesday, pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen secured the Democratic Party's nomination for Illinois lieutenant governor. Since his shocking win, more details have been emerging about his past... and they're not pretty.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, Cohen was arrested four-and-a-half years ago, accused of holding a knife to his former live-in girlfriend's neck.

Cohen, now 44, placed "a knife up to complainant's neck causing minor scars," according to the police report from his arrest. There also were "minor scars on her hand from her trying to defend herself against the arrestee swinging the knife at her." Cohen also allegedly "pushed complainant's head against [a] wall, causing a bump on the back of her head."

It gets worse.

According to the Sun Times, the domestic violence charges against Cohen were dropped when the girlfriend--who had just been found guilty of prostitution---didn't show up to testify. The Oct. 14, 2005 arrest came just five months after his wife had filed for divorce and convinced a judge to grant a protective order.

Records also show Cohen has had federal tax troubles in the past, but he insists all debts have been paid.

Wow... This guy is just dripping with class. Way to go, Illinois Democrats.