Trump to lead Defense Department charge of sexual assault in 2017

By BRIAN SLODYSKO, MARTHA MENDOZA and ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Popular Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who was nominated by Donald Trump to head the Department of Defense, was accused of sexual assault after he spoke at an event for Republican women in Monterey, California, in 2017, according to a statement. He was released by the city. No charges were filed in the case.

Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told the Associated Press that the allegations are “completely false.”

“This incident was investigated by police at the time and no evidence was found,” Parlatore said.

City of Monterey officials refused to release a police report documenting the accusations and instead a brief description in response to media questions Thursday night.

According to this statement, Monterey Police were contacted in October 2017 to investigate an alleged sexual assault involving Hegseth that had occurred several days earlier at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey.

The person who reported the attack (name, age and gender not disclosed) had bruises on his right thigh. The person told police that no weapon was involved in the shooting. According to the statement made by the municipality, the incident occurred between 23.59 on October 7 and 07.00 the next morning.

Hegseth was in town to address the California Federation of Republican Women during a banquet dinner at the group’s biennial convention, according to social media posts and promotional materials at the time.

The alleged attack was: first reported by Vanity Fair on Thursday.

City of Monterey officials said they are keeping further details in the police report confidential because it contains analysis and conclusions from law enforcement officials who are exempt from release under the state public records law.