George W. Bush’s cousin admits to attacking his first wife during their marriage

America’s Bush political dynasty was plunged into scandal last night after one of its leading figures admitted violently attacking his first wife.

Court documents obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal that Jonathan Bush, nephew of former President George H. W. Bush and cousin of former President George W. Bush, confessed to ‘numerous physical altercations’ with former wife Sarah Seldon including ‘repeatedly slamming his closed fist into her sternum [breastbone]… just inches from their baby’.

The details of Bush’s domestic abuse were filed with the Massachusetts family court during a 2006 custody battle over the couple’s five children. The former Mrs Bush alleged that Mr Bush had ‘struck her on numerous occasions, once causing a black eye’.

A second submission claims that Bush’s behaviour had become ‘more and more aggressive and hostile’. 

The former Mrs Bush, Sarah Seldon (above), alleged that Mr Bush had ‘struck her on numerous occasions, once causing a black eye’

It says that he had ‘screamed at her, directly into her face, calling her a “whore”… while pushing her into the wall and repeatedly slamming his closed fist into her sternum, his hand landing just inches from their baby who was crying. The wife testified that she was very afraid for her own safety and that of the child in her arms.’ 

It adds that Mr Bush had acknowledged ‘that such an incident took place’.

The documents also state that ‘the wife filed an emergency motion to have the husband vacated from the marital home’, and that ‘both the wife and the husband have been involved in intimate relationships with significant others outside of the marriage’.

Since the case was heard, Bush, founder and CEO of IT health care firm Athenahealth, has married and divorced for a second time.

In a statement to The Mail on Sunday, Jonathan Bush said: ‘I take complete responsibility for all these regrettable incidents involving my dear former wife. They occurred during a particularly difficult personal time in my life. I have worked very hard since then to demonstrate my remorse.’

Sarah Seldon said: ‘Like many families, ours is not perfect. Neither of us are proud of the events that occurred during our divorce.’