GOP senator downplays Pete Hegseth allegations: I'm interested in who he is today
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) appears unfazed by allegations against Donald Trump's Pentagon chief nominee — and had an interesting choice of words when pressed on the matter by CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju on Tuesday.
The nomination of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality, is currently in jeopardy over payoffs and a newly unveiled police report that details allegations of sexual assault against him, as well as disturbing details about the infidelity that ended his first marriage. Several current and former colleagues at Fox News are now coming forward to express concerns with him over excessive drinking. Even Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of Trump's biggest cheerleaders in the Senate, acknowledged Hegseth's confirmation will be "difficult."
But Cramer appeared to be less concerned with the pushback.
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"What's your level of concern about Pete Hegseth right now?" Raju asked him on Capitol Hill. "These allegations are continuing to come out about his personal conduct. Are you concerned?"
"Of course it's concerning," said Cramer. "But I look forward to visiting with Pete about it and seeing — I'm interested in who Pete Hegseth is today and who he is going forward."
Raju later told CNN's Jake Tapper, "Cramer later told me there ... that he is leaning yes, in supporting Pete Hegseth's nomination. And I asked him if the standards have now changed in the United States Senate. Remember, the last time the Senate voted down a Defense secretary nominee or any Cabinet nominee was in 1989. That was John Tower, over allegations of womanizing and also excessive drinking, including drunkenness. And Cramer told me, yes, the standards have evolved. And he says grace abounds, and he wants to see if Hegseth is — in fact, is a different person going forward."
Watch the video below or at the link here.
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