Despite a last-minute try to undermine his assurance with complaints reminiscent of the Brett Kavanaugh smear campaign, Pete Hegseth was confirmed as defence minister on Friday night.
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Danielle Hegseth Dietrich, ex-wife of Hegseth’s nephew, accused him of abusing his former partner, Samantha Deering, in an affidavit. Dietrich claimed Deering “feared for her living” and hid from Hegseth’s reported fury. But, Deering soon denied the claims, threatened legal action, and emphasized she previously authorized someone to talk on her behalf, discrediting Dietrich’s claims fully.
Afterwards, Dietrich acknowledged that key votes would be affected by her “promised” oath, but she did not specify who made the promise.  ,
” A week ago, I was promised that my speech, on the report, would confirm the various charges and make a difference in important votes”, she said in a speech. ” But in the close, it did not. Because the men involved in the decisions leading to Hegseth’s assurance have deliberately perpetuated the mechanisms that keep women motionless, including joke orders and fear of retaliation, what happened today may make women who have experienced abuse and mistreatment yet more less timely.
Previous: Was Pete Hegseth’s Accuser Offered A Quid Pro Quo For Her Bogus Affidavit?
It was upsetting to hear that Dietrich was “promised” something in exchange for making a false statement on record. Suspicion first fell on Sen. Jack Reed (D-R. I. ), who requested the affidavit, but new information reveals that it was actually Sen. Thom Tillis who made the promise to Dietrich.
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According to people with knowledge of the events, Sen. Thom Tillis ( R., N. C. ) assured a key witness in the contentious Senate confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that her sworn statement would have a bearing on the vote’s outcome last week and that it could persuade Republican senators to support the nominee, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In a call on January 19 that was answered by two other people on the same day, Tillis personally assured Danielle Hegseth that if she signed the statement stating that she believed her ex-boyfriend, Pete Hegseth, had a history of alcohol abuse and was abusive to his second wife, it would have weight and potentially affect Sen. Hegseth’s votes, along with Sen. Susan Collins ( R., Maine ) and Lisa Murkowski ( R., Alaska ), those people said.
On Friday, Tillis became the 50th senator to vote “yes” on Hegseth, clinching his confirmation to lead the Pentagon.
In a statement, Tillis didn’t dispute The Wall Street Journal’s reporting about the call. He claimed that Danielle Hegseth’s statement “did carry weight,” which is why I contacted the White House and spent days conducting due diligence and checking if there were any firsthand corroborating accounts of the sworn statement. He continued, “anyone who provided first-hand corroboration will not be able to speak with me.”
Tillis claimed that he conducted thorough research, including lengthy discussions with Hegseth, and that his decision “makes it clear where the facts ultimately led” and that he looks forward to working with the new defense secretary.
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Hegseth’s legal team criticized Danielle Dietrich as a “far-left Democrat” with a personal vendetta against the Hegseth family, stemming from her bitter divorce from Hegseth’s brother.  ,
Tillis’s actions added unnecessary drama to the process and nearly thwarted Hegseth’s nomination. In a vote of 51-50, Vice President JD Vance broke the tie, making Hegseth acquitted. Tillis ulimately voted in favor of Hegseth’s confirmation, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook his sleazy scheme.
