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Georgian GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker joked that he had to “beat” his adult child Christian the same day the son publicly disowned his father, accusing him of lying in his denials that he paid for a girlfriend’s abortion.
Even as Christian accused his former NFL star father of domestic violence, Walker joked about hitting his son in comments during a Tuesday prayer lunch in First Baptist Atlanta, according to a recording of the event released by HuffPost.
“The truth is, go to church. I remember we were out of church. I told my son — and I have to call him back and give him a beating,” Walker said on the recording, causing the evangelical crowd to laugh.
The family drama exploded after Walker, a staunch opponent of abortion, vehemently denied a Daily Beast report that he was encouraging and paying for a woman’s abortion in 2009.
At Tuesday’s luncheon at First Baptist, a Southern Baptist megachurch, Walker did not directly address the allegations raised the day before, and was warmly received by the congregation, according to reports of the event.
Georgia GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker joked about beating his son Christian during a Tuesday prayer lunch in First Baptist Atlanta (above), according to a recording
Christian (right) publicly denied his father, accusing him of lying in his denials that he paid for a girlfriend’s abortion
Christian, 22, was until recently Walker’s only publicly recognized child, although the candidate confirmed this summer that he had three other children with other women.
In two videos posted on Twitter Tuesday morning, Christian claimed he was “silent” while “atrocities” against his mother – Walker’s ex-wife – were “played down” by the candidate and his allies.
Christian has made a name for himself as an outspoken conservative personality on social media. His profile soared after his father stated in November that he would challenge Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock.
But after The Daily Beast reported that Walker paid his girlfriend to terminate her pregnancy and then sent her a “get well soon” cart — a claim the ex-NFL star has vehemently denied — Christian accused his father of being a hypocrite and a negligent older.
Christian also supported his mother’s previous allegations of physical abuse and violence during her marriage to Walkers.
“I remained silent as the atrocities committed against my mother were downplayed. I kept quiet when it turned out that my father, Herschel Walker, had all these random kids all over the country — none of whom he raised,” Christian said in the first of two short videos.
At Tuesday’s luncheon at First Baptist, a Southern Baptist megachurch, Walker did not address the allegations raised the day before, and was warmly received.
First Baptist Atlanta senior pastor Anthony George leads a prayer in support of Walker during the senate candidate’s visit to the influential church
Once a rising conservative star, Christian has faced harsh backlash from GOP pundits over his public reprimands of his father, which could cost Senate party control.
Meanwhile, the elder Walker on Thursday delved into his denials of successive Daily Beast reports that he paid for an abortion and then fathered a child with the same woman.
Walker told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday morning that he would have admitted had he paid for a former partner of his to terminate their child’s pregnancy, claiming it’s “nothing to be ashamed of” despite his consistent pro-life attitude. attitude.
He blamed the Democrats’ stories and their “desperation” — a defensive tactic Walker’s friend and ally, former President Donald Trump, used to endure numerous controversies en route to the White House.
“I know why you’re here. Yes,” he told reporters after his first public campaign speech since The Daily Beast’s first report Monday.
“You’re here because the Democrats desperately want to keep this seat here, and they want to make this race over my family desperate.”
He repeated: ‘This abortion thing is not true. It is a lie.’
Christian exploded on his dad on Twitter both Monday night and Tuesday morning
He accused Walker of threatening his life and the life of his mother, Walker’s ex-wife
Walker promised in the hours after a Monday report to sue the news outlet, but has received no confirmation that he has done so.
And he has yet to clarify why he initially said he had no idea which woman could make such an abortion claim, only to have The Daily Beast follow up on Wednesday with the woman saying she’d had a long relationship with Walker, including a child he knows.
The allegations have rocked one of the country’s most important Senate match-ups. Walker is in a tight battle with Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, with the outcome potentially determining which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Joe Biden’s term.