Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host who has been nominated by president-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 in California, in an incident that has come to light in the past two days.
The alleged assault was first reported by Vanity Fair on Thursday.
Here’s what we know:
— The alleged incident occurred after Hegseth spoke at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, according to a statement released by the city.
— No charges were filed in the case.
— Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told The Associated Press the allegations were “completely false.” He added: “This was investigated by the police at the time and they found no evidence.”
— Monterey City officials declined to release a police report that documented the accusations and instead issued a brief statement Thursday night. Police said they were contacted in October 2017 to investigate a sexual assault that allegedly took place several days earlier at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey and involved Hegseth.
— Monterey City officials said they were withholding further details included in the police report because it included analysis and conclusions by law enforcement officials that are exempt from release under state public records law.
— The person who reported the assault — whose name, age and sex were not released — had bruises on the right thigh, police said. No weapons were involved in the encounter. The incident occurred sometime between 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 7 a.m. the following morning, according to the city’s statement.
— Hegseth had addressed the California Federation of Republican Women during a banquet dinner held at the group’s biennial convention, according to social media posts at the time.
— At the time of the alleged assault in 2017, Hegseth, now 44, was going through a divorce with his second wife, with whom he has three children. She filed for divorce after he had a child with a Fox News producer who is now his wife, according to court records and social media posts by Hegseth. His first marriage ended in 2009, also after infidelity by Hegseth, according to court records.
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