Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., invoked secretary of Protection nominee Pete Hegseth’s daughter throughout a heated listening to, prompting pushback from conservatives on social media who argued that the feedback crossed a line.
“So that you suppose you might be fully cleared since you dedicated no crime?” the previous vice presidential candidate mentioned to Hegseth throughout his Senate affirmation listening to on Tuesday.
“That is your definition of cleared. You had simply fathered a baby two months earlier than by a lady that was not your spouse. I’m shocked that you’d stand right here and say you are fully cleared. Are you able to so casually cheat on a second spouse and cheat on the mom of a kid who had been born two months earlier than? And also you inform us you might be fully cleared? How is that fully cleared?”
Kaine was commenting on Hegseth’s habits in earlier marriages, together with an October 2017 incident in Monterey, California, by which Hegseth was accused of sexual assault. Hegseth, a former Fox Information host, was later cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation, and has since described the incident as consensual. “I used to be absolutely investigated and fully cleared,” he mentioned of the allegation.
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Sen. Tim Kaine and SecDef nominee Pete Hegseth at Senate affirmation listening to. (Getty Pictures)
“Senator, her youngster’s identify is Gwendolyn Hope Hegseth, and he or she’s a baby of God,” Hegseth responded. “She’s 7 years previous, and I’m glad she’s right here.”
“And also you cheated on the mom of that youngster,” Kaine responded. “Lower than two months after that daughter was born, did not you?”
Hegseth advised Kaine these had been “false costs” and reiterated that he was “fully cleared” and “grateful” to the wedding he has to the “superb girl” behind him.
Kaine endured, “You have admitted that you just had intercourse at that resort in October 2017. You mentioned it was consensual. Is not that appropriate?”
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Pete Hegseth gestures throughout his Senate Armed Companies Committee affirmation listening to. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Pictures)
The 2 continued to trip on the veracity of the claims towards Hegseth, with Kaine urgent the nominee on whether or not he honored his wedding ceremony vow.
“I’ll permit your phrases to talk for themselves,” Hegseth mentioned at one level.
“As I’ve acknowledged to everybody on this committee, I’m not an ideal particular person. I am not claiming to be,” Hegseth mentioned earlier than being minimize off by Kaine, who went on to accuse Hegseth of withholding details about the accusation when being vetted by the Trump group.
Kaine in the end moved on to questioning Hegseth about his relationship with consuming and different allegations that Hegseth has dismissed as “false.”
Conservatives on social media, along with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., at one other level within the listening to, took situation with Kaine’s line of questioning, significantly invoking Hegseth’s daughter.
“Senator Tim Kaine actually did attempt to use Pete Hegseth’s 7 yr previous daughter towards him, despicable,” conservative commentator Drew Hernandez posted on X.
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Sen. Tim Kaine (Getty Pictures)
“IRONY ALERT: Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) tries to lecture Pete Hegseth on adultery,” The First TV posted on X. “Reminder that Tim Kaine ran on the identical failed presidential ticket as Hillary Clinton, authorized spouse of Invoice Clinton.”
“Tim Kaine has rather a lot to say about Pete Hegseth’s conduct throughout his marriage,” Article III Mission senior counsel Will Chamberlain posted on X. “Right here’s Tim Kaine campaigning with Doug Emhoff, who – whereas married – impregnated his nanny and compelled her to get an abortion.”
Fox Information Digital reached out to Kaine’s workplace for remark however didn’t instantly obtain a response.
Fox Information Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report
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