Pete Hegseth, Trump's Nominee for Defense Secretary, Refutes Newly Revealed Police Report of Alleged Sexual Assault Case
The Fox News host and the woman who accused him of sexual assault were in Monterey for the 2017 California Federation of Republican Women biennial conference
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Pete HegsethA California police report involving a sexual assault allegation against Pete Hegseth was released Wednesday, and contains new information about the incident.
The Fox News host, 44, was involved in the October 2017 investigation of an alleged sexual assault that took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey, Calif, the city confirmed in a press release on Nov. 14. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth for defense secretary one day earlier, on Nov. 13.
The police report, which was first obtained and made public by Mediaite.com on Wednesday, Nov. 20, reveals contrasting accounts of the actions of Hegseth and the woman involved in the incident. The report contains firsthand and witness accounts, as well as descriptions of surveillance footage.
While portions of the report are redacted to protect the privacy of the woman, details from multiple sources in the report contradict Hegseth's account of the events.
According to the document, both Hegseth and the woman were in Monterey for the 2017 California Federation of Republican Women biennial conference, where Hegseth was the keynote speaker. The woman helped organize the event, the report states.
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Pete HegsethPer the report, the woman had gaps in memory from that night. She recalled being "buzzed," but not drunk, and later told the nurse who did her sexual assault exam that something could have been slipped into her drink.
Hegseth has never been charged in connection to the alleged assault.
Per the report, he said he ensured the woman was “comfortable with what was going on between the two of them,” and that there was “‘always’ conversation and ‘always’ consensual contact.”
“This police report confirms what I’ve said all along, that the incident was fully investigated, and police found the allegations to be false, which is why no charges were filed,” Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth’s attorney, told CNN on Wednesday.
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Parlatore's comment comes days after he responded to Monterey city official's initial confirmation of the investigation. At the time, he said, “An allegation was made and was fully investigated and he was cleared. This should have no effect whatsoever on the nomination process.”
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman on the president-elect's transition team, expressed similar sentiments on Thursday, telling CNN that the "police found the allegations to be false." The report, however, does not come to the conclusion that the accusation was false.
Per CNN, Hegseth's attorney said the TV personality made a settlement agreement with the woman in 2020. The agreement reportedly included payment and a confidentiality clause.
