Michigan Representative Hilary Scholten has alleged that her husband exhibited signs of mental instability just days before he left her and their two teenage sons, as revealed in court documents she attempted to keep private.
Scholten, 44, a Democrat from Michigan, sought unsuccessfully in February to have the divorce case sealed, arguing that the information contained in it could harm her re-election efforts and inflict “irreparable reputational harm.”
The filings indicate that Scholten experienced months of “depression” and “manic episodes” before her husband, Jesse Holcomb, decided to “unilaterally and abruptly” leave her.
Six days prior to his departure, Scholten reportedly found Holcomb “crying inconsolably” in the middle of the night, refusing to eat, and mumbling incoherently about “things from his childhood,” according to the documents she filed.
As Scholten runs for a third term in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District this November, she claimed that Holcomb was “unable to stabilize” and she considered admitting him to Pine Rest, a local mental health facility.
Scholten, a former social worker and immigration attorney during the Obama administration, explained to her sons, Wesley, 13, and James, 16, that their father was unwell.
At one point, Holcomb emerged from the bedroom, prompting their sons to observe that “their father was acting strange,” the court filing states.
The following day, Scholten reportedly tried to discuss inpatient treatment for Holcomb, but the suggestion only heightened his frustration. “It was virtually impossible to keep him stable,” her attorney noted.
Eventually, Holcomb called his doctor, and after a period of agitation, he told Scholten on January 6 that he was leaving, immediately exiting the home while their sons cried. He allegedly disabled his cell phone’s location services to prevent them from tracking him.
In the separation’s aftermath, Holcomb purportedly displayed “erratic and threatening behavior” towards Scholten and the children, even “ambushing” them at the airport when she and the boys were set to travel to Washington, D.C., for her work.
In his divorce filing submitted in January, Holcomb accused Scholten of trying to distance him from their home by changing locks and passwords, and of attempting to keep him away from the boys. He alleged that Scholten “unilaterally cut off communication” between him and their children.
Scholten, in response, maintained that the sons had communicated with her, expressing that they were not ready to see him due to the shock from his sudden exit and his subsequent behavior.
“Because of this behavior, and further erratic, aggressive and coercive behavior… the children are not ready to meet their father without therapeutic intervention,” her filing stated.
According to the court documents, Holcomb filed for divorce on January 26 without informing Scholten, stating that the marriage was irreparably broken.
The divorce documents claimed that “the marital relationship has broken down to such an extent that the object of marriage has been destroyed,” leaving no reasonable possibility for reconciliation.
Holcomb, a professor with a salary of $105,000, is seeking spousal support from Scholten, who earns $174,000 as a Congress member. She is contesting these requests.
A judge ruled in late February that both parents would share custody and that Holcomb would remain in the home to care for the boys while Scholten is in Washington for work.
Judge Matthew Delange also mandated that the children undergo therapy.
As the divorce proceedings continue, Scholten expressed empathy for other parents facing similar challenges, stating, “I have a new room in my heart for the moms and dads who had to go through this,” recognizing the personal nature of the situation.
Neither party’s attorney responded to requests for comments.
