Pete Hegseth sexual assault investigation emerges amid questions over Trump team’s vetting
By
Mike Brest
November 15, 2024 12:06 pm
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Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the next Secretary of Defense, was investigated, but not charged, in a sexual assault case less than a decade ago, raising questions about the Trump transition team’s vetting process.
The Monterey Police Department in California investigated “an alleged sexual assault” involving Hegseth that took place in the early hours of Oct. 8, 2017, at the address of a Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, which was reported four days later. The alleged victim’s name and age were not shared publicly by the Monterey government spokesperson, who released a statement on Thursday, following the reporting of Hegseth’s ties to the alleged incident.
There were no weapons involved in the alleged assault, and the victim was left with contusions to their right thigh.
“This allegation was already investigated by the Monterey Police Department, and they found no evidence for it,” Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, denied the allegation to Vanity Fair. Hegseth, whom Trump tapped to lead the Pentagon earlier this week, met with the president-elect’s chosen chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and Trump’s lawyers on Thursday, according to the outlet.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense/3231227/pete-hegseth-sexual-assault-investigation-trump-team-vetting/