News

FBI Background Check Of Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth Failed To Contact Woman Who Accused Him Of Assault & Ex-Wives

The FBI background check into Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth did not investigate significant trouble spots in his life, including his relationships with his ex-wives and a sexual assault allegation from 2017. 

During his hearing on Tuesday, when asked to label the allegations against him as “true or false,” Hegsdeth repeatedly responded by calling them “anonymous smears.”

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) referenced an event in North Carolina where Hegsdeth allegedly was “drunk in front of three young female staff members, after you had instituted a no alcohol policy and then reversed it.”

Additionally, he was asked: “While in Louisiana on official business for [his nonprofit], did you take your staff, including young female staff members, to a strip club?” 

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

“Is it accurate that the organization reached a financial settlement with a female staffer who claimed to be at a strip club with and there was a colleague who attempted to sexually assault her? Was there a financial settlement?” Kelly added.

“Senator, I’m not involved in that,” Hegseth said.

The claims arose from a whistleblower report detailed in The New Yorker with alleged repeated instances of Hegseth drinking heavily at work events, which included a team outing to a strip club in Louisiana in November 2014. The report claimed that Hegseth became intoxicated to a level that required restraint to prevent him from climbing on stage.

Hegseth said he was the target of a smear campaign but acknowledged overcoming personal struggles. 

Kelly countered, “It can’t be both.”

“Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues? Or are you the target of a smear campaign?… It’s clear to me, to me that you’re not being honest with us, or the American people, because you know the truth would disqualify you from getting the job,” Kelly said.

During the hearing, Hegseth was interrupted by protesters who called him a “misogynist.”

Subscribe to uPolitics free weekly email for the latest political news!

Let us know what you think of the story in the comments below – join the conversation!

Angie Schlager

Recent Posts

VIDEO: U.S. & Russian Officials Meet In Saudi Arabia To Discuss Ending War In Ukraine

https://youtu.be/3LA4KzaO1oA U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday to discuss an…

56 mins ago

VIDEO: Anti-Trump Protesters Outside Pennsylvania State Capitol On Presidents Day Chant ‘No Kings’

https://youtu.be/mFMbio1bNHc Protesters gathered outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Monday, as part of a nationwide…

16 hours ago

After Outcry, State Department Drops Plans To Buy $400 Million Of Tesla Armored Electric Vehicles

The U.S. Department of State had been in discussions with Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle…

16 hours ago

Linda McMahon Refuses To Say If Black History Courses Will Be Allowed Under Trump Administration

During Linda McMahon's Senate confirmation hearing, the former WWE executive refused to answer whether black…

17 hours ago

After Mitch McConnell Votes Against Trump’s Cabinet Nominees, Trump Calls Him Mentally Unequipped, Says He ‘Doesn’t Know’ If He Had Polio

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) voted against President Donald Trump’s nominations for three crucial Cabinet votes:…

17 hours ago

Trump Alarms Critics Using Napoleon Quote, Suggesting He’s Above The Law

On Saturday, President Donald Trump posted the quote, “He who saves his Country does not…

21 hours ago