following the reports of alleged impropriety Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee have quietly made a request for additional information from Hegseth’s veterans organization, as well as the district attorney. in Monterey County, California, according to communications reviewed by ABC News.
The commission seems to be looking more closely at the newly reported a 2017 sexual assault as well as allegations of financial misconduct by Hegseth, both of which Hegseth has denied.
The allegations have created an uptick for the former Fox News host, who could only lose the votes of three Senate Republicans when his confirmation comes up for a vote in the coming weeks.
The committee’s requests, made in early December, call for the documents to be provided to the Senate Armed Services Committee by Monday, Jan. 6, a week before Hegseth is scheduled to appear before the panel for his public confirmation hearing. January 14
Requests reviewed by ABC News show that the committee’s top Republican, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and the top Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed, R-DRI, sought additional information from the Monterey County district. Counsel for sexual assault allegations filed against Hegseth in 2017 reported in NovemberAfter Trump announced Hegseth as DOD pick.
Monterey Police Department released a report last month, a woman told investigators in October 2017 that Hegseth met her at an event at a California hotel where the two drank and sexually assaulted her.
When police approached Hegseth as part of the investigation, he denied the accusation and “stated that the engagement … was mutual,” the police report said.
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives for a meeting with Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Capitol Hill, December 2, 2024, in Washington.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
No charges were filed, although Hegseth later paid the woman a settlement agreementHegseth’s lawyer said Hegseth feared his career would suffer if his allegations were made public. The agreement said Hegseth did nothing wrong in the matter.
Although the police report was made public in November, sources said members of the Senate Armed Services Committee were seeking evidence beyond what was contained in the report, as well as documents containing legal analysis or recommendations.
The Monterey County District Attorney responded to the commission’s request on Dec. 20, informing the commission that the office had no additional evidence in the case beyond the publicly available police report, according to a letter from the DA’s office to the commission. ABC News
The DA noted, however, that — while they contain only a summary of the case and a memorandum declining to prosecute Hegseth — other records requested by the commission contain protected work by attorneys, some of which they refused to release. their protected status.
Spokespeople for Wicker and Reed declined to comment to ABC News.
In early December, Hegseth admitted to being in a hotel room with the woman, but denied raping her in an interview with former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.
“Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I’ve been honest about that encounter, starting with law enforcement,” he said when asked if he had raped a woman.
“I may have been drinking, but I was conscious enough to remember all the details,” he said. “And I’m not here to say that my behavior was okay; you know, being in a hotel room with, you know, someone you’re not, it’s not okay. I accept that, and I’ve had to own up to that, and that’s been hard.”
The senators are also seeking information from Concerned Veterans for America, the veterans organization where Hegseth once served as CEO. New York story Hegseth faced allegations of financial mismanagement and sexist behavior while at the helm of the organization. Hegseth has denied the allegations.
The commission has requested all documents related to Hegseth’s employment, all financial records and tax returns related to his directorship of the organization, and any written documentation alleging wrongdoing or misconduct by Hegseth.
A representative for Concerned Veterans for America did not respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.
Reached by ABC News, Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlator, said his client is innocent and that Hegseth is “cooperating fully with the commission’s request for information.”
Trump publicly accepted Hegseth last month, the initial allegations of misconduct gave Hegseth a surprising reception on Capitol Hill.
“Pete Hegseth is doing very well. He will be a fantastic and high-energy Secretary of Defense,” Trump posted on the Truth Social platform. “Pete is a WINNER, and nothing can be done to change that!!!”
Wicker, who will oversee Hegseth’s nomination hearing before the Armed Services Committee, has repeatedly expressed an interest in taking a close look at the nominee.
In early December, amid speculation that Hegseth would not submit to a traditional FBI background checkWicker told ABC News that his priority would be to run a background check.
The Republican said at the time that the committee was “looking at and getting information about how it’s traditionally done, who orders the FBI background check.”
When pressed by ABC News about Hegseth’s background check, Wicker said, “I would prefer a full background check, yes.”
Hegseth has since been subpoenaed for a full FBI screening, according to his attorney.
He has also met with several senators on Capitol Hill, including Wicker, and recently seemed to be getting help.
Wicker has yet to publicly endorse Hegseth, but said after the meeting that he believed Hegseth would be in “pretty good shape” in terms of his confirmation.
