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An attorney representing Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, has suggested the possibility of legal action against the woman accusing his client of sexual assault. Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s lawyer, indicated that a civil extortion lawsuit could be filed if Hegseth’s confirmation to lead the Department of Defense is derailed.
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Parlatore indicated that the possibility of pursuing further action was being evaluated at the time. He mentioned that, due to the alleged violation of the agreement, a civil extortion claim might still be pursued against her if she were not confirmed as Secretary of Defense.
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The U.S. Senate, where Republicans now have a slim majority, must approve Hegseth’s confirmation. However, accusations from a 2017 event have cast serious doubt on his nomination. The allegations involve a woman who reported to police that Hegseth sexually assaulted her in a California hotel room after blocking the door. Hegseth has denied the accusation, claiming the encounter was consensual. While no criminal charges were filed, Hegseth reached an undisclosed settlement with the woman in 2023.
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Additional controversy surfaced from a 2018 email in which Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, accused him of abusive behavior toward women. The email, published by The New York Times, was followed by an apology from Penelope, who condemned the release of the email as disgusting moreover, NBC reports highlighted concerns among Hegseth’s colleagues at Fox News about his alleged alcohol use. Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, had been with the network for eight years.
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Trump, the president-elect, has backed Hegseth despite these obstacles, calling the uncharged accusations baseless. J.D. Vance, the vice president-elect, also expressed his support, stating that they were fighting for Pete Hegseth under President Trump’s leadership. Vance emphasized that Hegseth would defend the troops, which was the driving force behind their efforts. He pointed out that the Pentagon had been led by individuals with a record of failure in the war for too long, and stressed that Pete Hegseth, a man who served in those conflicts, would bring much-needed change.
If confirmed, Hegseth would assume responsibility for the Department of Defense, the largest federal agency with a $840 billion annual budget and 3.4 million military and civilian personnel. The position, among the most critical in Trump’s administration, requires Senate approval amidst the ongoing controversies surrounding Hegseth.
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