Fans of Southern Charm aren’t buying the latest story from former politician Thomas Ravenel and his sometime girlfriend Ashley Jacobs as he heads to court on at least two matters. Just as Ravenel begins his trial on sexual assault charges and challenges Kathryn Dennis, the mother of his children’s efforts to gain full custody, he’s posting statements on Instagram to say he has dumped his controversial girlfriend due to her rude and sometimes vulgar treatment of his ex on and off camera.

People Magazine picked up the story of the unusual relationship between Ravenel, who was fired from the Bravo series, and the hospice nurse who moved from California to Charleston to play his plus-one on the popular series last Sunday. The 56-year-old Ravenel posted an angry statement attacking Jacobs alongside a photo of the two smiling at an all-day steeplechase and bourbon fest.

“Ashley Jacobd [sic] has been bad mouthing the mother of my children. I totally disavow this horrendous behavior and will have nothing to do with her.” Ravenel blamed Jacobs for the negative things said about Kathryn Dennis over the last year. “I begged her over and over to no avail. So hateful. Hope she gets help.”

It's almost as if Thomas has been in a coma for the past year and just came out of it. #SouthernCharm #ThomasRavenel pic.twitter.com/kc0BLipnOc — Face Reality (@FaceReality16) November 12, 2018

In a recent court filing, Kathryn Dennis has alleged that Ravenel’s lifestyle of drink, drugs, and partying isn’t conducive to parenting, and his association with Jacobs upsets the children as she disparages their mother. Dennis has also accused Ravenel of using Jacobs to say hateful things about her publicly so he can appear to have clean hands.

The next post on Instagram by Ashley Jacobs was the day after Ravenel had dumped her on social media, and she suggested she was having “the best day ever.” When her followers asked what was going on, she told them that they were no longer together, in a matter of fact manner.

“Thomas and I aren’t together. I wish him the best though.”

But fans aren’t buying it and are posting that it’s just one more stunt to manipulate the outcome of his upcoming court cases. One fan says that Ravenel puts Jacobs up to saying nasty things so that he can’t be held responsible. “He encourages her to do it to sway opinions but claims he is against it publicly so it can’t be used against him in court.”

Others suggested that the strange daytime posts with typos make it seem like he is doing all of the things Dennis has accused him of. “Day drinking! This erratic behavior of his will only help Kathryn with her custody battle.”

Most fans just thought this was the latest con by Ravenel and Jacobs. “I call BS, he already removed the post, bet he was drunk and angry at her because she smelled like fish… let the bipolar behavior continue…”