Democratic senators on the Armed Companies Committee are at the moment reviewing an affidavit that alleges Secretary of Protection nominee Pete Hegseth made his second spouse worry for her security.
Fox Information has obtained an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleges that he each has an alcohol abuse drawback – and he at occasions made his ex-wife, Samantha, worry for her security. Danielle Hegseth was married to Pete Hegseth’s brother. She isn’t the sister of Samantha, Pete Hegseth’s second spouse.
The Senate Armed Companies Committee was offered the affidavit and members are within the technique of reviewing it.
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Hegseth has denied all claims. ( (Picture by Andrew Harnik/Getty Photographs))
In a press release to Fox Information, Pete Hegseth’s lawyer, Tim Parlatore mentioned, “Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview. Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump, far-left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that. After an acrimonious divorce, Ms. Dietrich has had an ax to grind against the entire Hegseth family. Ms. Dietrich admits that she saw nothing but is now falsely accusing Sam of lying to both the Court and to the FBI because of private, undocumented statements that she allegedly made 10 years ago.”
Danielle Hegseth offered an anecdote within the doc, recalling that Samantha as soon as hid in a closet from her husband.
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Reed is the rating member of the Armed Companies Committee. (Reuters)
However, Danielle Hegseth added that she by no means witnessed any abuse herself, bodily or sexual, from Pete towards Samantha.
The affidavit offered extra anecdotes about Hegseth’s alleged heavy ingesting, referring to a number of particular events, together with one in a strip membership.
Within the doc, Danielle Hegseth additionally concluded her former brother-in-law isn’t match to be Secretary of Protection, in her opinion.
The committee’s Rating Member Jack Reed, D-R.I., mentioned in a press release, “As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears. The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”
Samantha Hegseth denies any bodily abuse in a press release first reported by NBC Information. “There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision,” she reportedly mentioned.
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Rosen mentioned the affidavit confirms what they already knew. (Tom Brenner)
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who’s on the committee, advised reporters, “This only confirms what we already know about Mr. Hegseth’s behavior and the way he has lived his life, and the kinds of opinions that he had towards women.”
“So we’ll let the Republicans make their own statement, but I think it just confirms we already know that he is absolutely 100% unqualified for this job, his disposition, his demeanor, the issues we have with sexual abuse, with financial mismanagement,” she mentioned.
“I am telling you, there is a great deal in this affidavit, and, any part of which would disqualify a candidate to lead our military,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one other member of the committee, advised reporters.
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Nonetheless, Republicans on the committee aren’t essentially going to be swayed by the allegations.
New Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who additionally sits on the committee, wrote on X: “This is a desperate, last-minute attempt by Dems and the media to smear Pete Hegseth and tank his nomination. Pete’s ex-wife is on record saying the claims are false, but the media doesn’t care because it hurts a Republican. Nobody should fall for this.”
