WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump鈥檚 nominee for defense secretary, paid $50,000 to the , according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained.
The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she had for Hegseth as part of the vetting process.
His attorney, Timothy Parlatore, declined to comment Thursday on the dollar figure, which was previously unknown. In November, Parlatore confirmed that the settlement payment had been made, and Hegseth last week that he was 鈥渇alsely accused鈥� and completely cleared.
News of the payment came as the along party lines, with a final vote on his confirmation expected Friday. Democrats 鈥� and two Republicans 鈥� have raised concerns about Hegseth, who also has faced and , which he denies.
Two days after Hegseth was grilled by senators at this confirmation hearing, Trump鈥檚 transition team briefed the two leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee on an additional statement that Hegseth鈥檚 second wife, Samantha Hegseth, had provided to the FBI.
In the statement that the transition team read Jan. 16 to Mississippi Republican Roger Wicker and Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed, she said Pete Hegseth had and continues to have a problem with alcohol abuse, a person familiar with the FBI briefing and its findings told The Associated Press.
Senators received an affidavit Tuesday from a former sister-in-law of the Pentagon nominee alleging his repeat drunkenness and that he was to the point where she feared for her safety. He and his ex-wife have denied that he was abusive.
Meanwhile, the $50,000 payment was made years after the woman in a California hotel room in 2017 after he took her phone, blocked the door and refused to let her leave, according to an investigative report released in November.
Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing.
The report does not say that police found the allegations were false. Police recommended the case report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney鈥檚 Office for review.
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said her office declined to file charges in January 2018 because it didn鈥檛 have 鈥減roof beyond a reasonable doubt.鈥�
Parlatore, Hegseth's lawyer, has said the payment was made as part of a confidential settlement a few years after the police investigation because Hegseth was concerned that she was prepared to sue and that could have gotten him fired from Fox News, where he was a popular host.
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AP reporter Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.
Tara Copp, The Associated Press
