Pete Hegseth wins key Senate vote despite new allegations of misconduct

(Bloomberg) — Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth cleared a key Senate procedural hurdle despite new allegations of abuse from his ex-wife, signaling potential support for his confirmation.

Hegseth denies the steady stream of allegations ranging from domestic abuse to excessive drinking that have surfaced against him since Trump tapped him to run the department in November.

The Senate voted 51-49 on Thursday to block opponents from using procedural measures to delay approval of Hegseth’s nomination, paving the way for a confirmation vote within days.

The Republican-controlled Senate showed support for Hegseth despite criticism that he lacks high-level experience and allegations from GOP lawmakers over alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement of organizations he previously led. Offers a powerful demonstration of Donald Trump’s influence.

Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine were the only two Republicans to vote against the final vote on Hegseth.

Murkowski said in a social media post that Hegseth’s record, including an admission of marital infidelity, “demonstrates a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone leading our armed forces.” He also expressed concern over his earlier opposition to women in war.

Murkowski said, “Although he has recently revised his statements on women in combat since being nominated, I am concerned about the message that Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and women interested in joining. ”

Collins, who chairs the powerful Appropriations Committee, raised similar concerns. Collins said in a social media post that he is “not convinced” that Hegseth has changed his previous opposition to women in combat and said he believes the Army’s policies, including the ban on torture, have changed. They lack “adequate appreciation”.

Senate Republicans moved forward with the nomination two days after public revelations that Hegseth’s former sister-in-law had alleged in an affidavit that Hegseth was emotionally abusive to his second wife, once locking her in a closet for her own protection. Had to go into hiding, and had a history of drunken and aggressive behavior.

Earlier in the day, the Republican-controlled Senate easily confirmed the nomination of John Ratcliffe as CIA director by a 74-25 vote. Ratcliffe served as Director of National Intelligence during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House.

Hegseth, 44, a former Fox News host who served in the Army National Guard in Iraq and Afghanistan, dismissed the allegations against him at his confirmation hearing as an “anonymous smear.”

Hegseth’s attorney Timothy Parlatore denied the nominee’s former sister-in-law’s claims and called her an “anti-Trump far-left Democrat” who never got along with her family.

(Updated with Collins’ statement beginning in the eighth paragraph.)

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