Senators receive affidavit containing new allegations against Pete Hegseth, who denies the claims – NBC News

Senators Receive Affidavit Alleging Concerns about Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth

WASHINGTON — Senators received an affidavit Tuesday from the former sister-in-law of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in which she says his behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety. The receipt of the affidavit comes after Senate Armed Services Committee staffers were in contact with Hegseth’s former sister-in-law for several days.  

Background and Purpose of the Affidavit

The former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, submitted the affidavit in response to a Jan. 18 letter from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., seeking “a statement attesting to your personal knowledge about Mr. Hegseth’s fitness to occupy this important position.” 

Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, asked Danielle Hegseth to detail what she knew of “instances of abuse, or threats of abuse, perpetrated against any other person” and “mistreatment of a spouse, former spouse, or other members of his family,” among other requests.  

Reed said in a statement Tuesday, “As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this sworn affidavit confirms that fact.”

He added that “the alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”

Allegations in the Affidavit

Danielle describes in the affidavit allegations of volatile and threatening conduct by Hegseth that made his second wife, Samantha Hegseth, fear for her safety. Among the allegations are that Samantha hid in a closet once from Hegseth, that she developed escape plans for use “if she felt she needed to get away from Hegseth” that would be activated with a code word and that she did once put the escape plans into action.

Review and Response

At least 15 senators — including multiple Republicans — had reviewed the affidavit as of 2:30 p.m. ET, according to a Senate staffer.

Two days before Congress received the affidavit, NBC News asked Hegseth’s second wife, Samantha Hegseth, to comment on details of some of the allegations in the affidavit.  

In an email response Monday, Samantha Hegseth said: “First and foremost, I have not and will not comment on my marriage to Pete Hegseth.  I do not have representatives speaking on my behalf, nor have I ever asked anyone to share or speak about the details of my marriage on my behalf, whether it be a reporter, a committee member, a transition team member, etc.”  

She added, “I do not believe your information to be accurate, and I have cc’d my lawyer.”  

Asked what information was not accurate and for comment on the affidavit, she replied on Tuesday: “There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision.” 

Denial of Allegations

A lawyer for Pete Hegseth, Tim Parlatore, dismissed the allegations.

“Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview. Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that,” he said in a statement. 

“After an acrimonious divorce, Ms. Dietrich has had an axe to grind against the entire Hegseth family,” he added. “Ms. Dietrich admits that she saw nothing but is now falsely accusing Sam of lying to both the Court and to the FBI because of private, undocumented statements that she allegedly made 10 years ago.”

Concerns and Implications

The allegations raise significant concerns about Pete Hegseth’s fitness for the position of Defense Secretary. They also highlight the need for a thorough background investigation and the importance of addressing issues related to abuse and misconduct. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions, which includes ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals in positions of power.

Conclusion

As the Senate prepares for a vote on Pete Hegseth’s nomination, it is crucial to consider the serious allegations outlined in the affidavit. The SDGs provide a framework for promoting accountability and addressing issues of abuse and misconduct. It is essential to prioritize the well-being and safety of individuals in positions of leadership, especially in roles as critical as Secretary of Defense.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• SDG 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
• SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 5.2: Proportion of women and girls subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner in the previous 12 months.
• Indicator for SDG 16.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age.
• Indicator for SDG 16.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age, and form of exploitation.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nbcnews.com