Matt Schlapp of CPAC schlapped with a sexual battery lawsuit; allegedly groped male Herschel Walker staffer [Carlton Huffman]

[essentialsaltes]

This has been percolating for a while, but anonymously. In some ways, it's still anonymous as the plaintiff is a John Doe, but it's reached the point of lawyers and lawsuits.

GOP strategist files sexual battery lawsuit against Matt Schlapp​

The Republican campaign staffer who has accused Matt Schlapp, a high-profile conservative activist, of sexual assault is now suing Schlapp and his wife, Mercedes, for more than $9 million.

The sexual battery civil lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Virginia Circuit Court in Alexandria, also accuses both Schlapps of defamation and of conspiracy to impugn the accuser.

The complaint recounts accusations made by a Republican strategist, a male in his late 30s, who alleged that Matt Schlapp fondled him without his consent as he drove Schlapp back to his hotel in Georgia last October.

The Schlapps are both highly visible in Republican spheres and boosters of former President Donald Trump. Matt Schlapp, an alum of George W. Bush’s White House, runs the American Conservative Union, which stages the Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC. Mercedes Schlapp was a communications director in the Trump White House.

The staffer tells CNN he is keeping his legal options, including the possibility of seeking criminal charges, open.

[In addition the texts between Schlapp and the staffer, there are also (I have seen) alleged text messages between the plaintiff and a friend that are from the time of the alleged events. Plaintiff appears to be freaking out.]

 

[FireDragon76]

The party of Larry Craig rides again, that intrepid band of self-loathing closet cases!

 

[essentialsaltes]

The party of Larry Craig rides again, that intrepid band of self-loathing closet cases!

Once upon a time, CPAC had GOProud (a gay Republican group) as a sponsor. Various Christian conservative groups complained, but the event went on more or less unchanged. GOProud even hosted Donald Trump's first speech at CPAC. However, a couple years later CPAC voted not to allow GOProud to help sponsor the 2012 event.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

This has been percolating for a while, but anonymously. In some ways, it's still anonymous as the plaintiff is a John Doe, but it's reached the point of lawyers and lawsuits.

GOP strategist files sexual battery lawsuit against Matt Schlapp​

The Republican campaign staffer who has accused Matt Schlapp, a high-profile conservative activist, of sexual assault is now suing Schlapp and his wife, Mercedes, for more than $9 million.

The sexual battery civil lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Virginia Circuit Court in Alexandria, also accuses both Schlapps of defamation and of conspiracy to impugn the accuser.

The complaint recounts accusations made by a Republican strategist, a male in his late 30s, who alleged that Matt Schlapp fondled him without his consent as he drove Schlapp back to his hotel in Georgia last October.

The Schlapps are both highly visible in Republican spheres and boosters of former President Donald Trump. Matt Schlapp, an alum of George W. Bush’s White House, runs the American Conservative Union, which stages the Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC. Mercedes Schlapp was a communications director in the Trump White House.

The staffer tells CNN he is keeping his legal options, including the possibility of seeking criminal charges, open.

[In addition the texts between Schlapp and the staffer, there are also (I have seen) alleged text messages between the plaintiff and a friend that are from the time of the alleged events. Plaintiff appears to be freaking out.]

Wait...why is the accuser "anonymous"? The Sixth Amendment requires the accused party have the right to face his accuser. This looks pretty sus. Maybe he did it, but we are going to need a whole lot more evidence than some anonymous accusation. The article says that "Both times, the staffer was “frozen” with fear and shock at what was happening," Oh come ON...a man "frozen in fear and shock" when some old fart is groping him? Not buying that. Most men would say, "Dude...stop touching me" reflexively, if not a stronger reaction.

This looks like a set-up to me, but we shall see. And yes, I would say EXACTLY the same thing on these facts if the accused were of the Democratic party or Independent, or not a politician at all.

"Charlie Spies, an attorney for Matt and Mercedes Schlapp, denied the allegation in a statement posted on Matt Schlapp’s Twitter page, saying that “the Schlapp family is suffering unbearable pain and stress due to the false allegation from an anonymous individual” and noting that the couple is “assessing counter-lawsuit options.”


Spies added that the complaint, which was filed anonymously, demonstrates that the accuser’s agenda is to harm the Schlapp family.


The complaint says special circumstances exist for the accuser’s identity to remain anonymous in the interest of preserving the privacy of the victim."

 

[essentialsaltes]

Wait...why is the accuser "anonymous"?

"The complaint says special circumstances exist for the accuser’s identity to remain anonymous in the interest of preserving the privacy of the victim."

The special circumstances (as claimed by the plaintiff's lawyers) are #1 to protect the identity of the victim of a sexual assault (one reason why his name has so far not appeared in mainstream media) and #2 to protect a Republican political operative from any potential backlash from Schlapp's supporters (since both Schlapps are big wheels in Republican politics).

I assume a judge will determine whether those are valid reasons to keep him anonymous. #1 seems a better basis than #2 to me, but IANAL.

From the document:

Mr. Doe’s anonymity is not intended merely to avoid the annoyance and criticism that may attend litigation. Instead, it is intended to preserve the privacy ofthe victim ofa sexual battery. In addition, because Mr. Schlapp and Ms. Schlapp are well known, and in some quarters revered, amongst a portion of the population that has demonstrated a proclivity for threatening violence against those with whom they disagree, the identification of Mr. Doe poses an unusual risk of retaliatory physical or mental harm to Mr. Doe. Mr. Schlapp and 3 p. 4 Ms. Schlapp will not sufferanyunfairness as a result ofMr. Doe's anonymity, because they have actual knowledge of Mr. Doe's identity.

 

[Pommer]

Mr. Doe’s anonymity is not intended merely to avoid the annoyance and criticism that may attend litigation. Instead, it is intended to preserve the privacy ofthe victim ofa sexual battery. In addition, because Mr. Schlapp and Ms. Schlapp are well known, and in some quarters revered, amongst a portion of the population that has demonstrated a proclivity for threatening violence against those with whom they disagree, the identification of Mr. Doe poses an unusual risk of retaliatory physical or mental harm to Mr. Doe. Mr. Schlapp and 3 p. 4 Ms. Schlapp will not sufferanyunfairness as a result ofMr. Doe's anonymity, because they have actual knowledge of Mr. Doe's identity.

In other words, the identity of the complainant is known to the Schlapps, should the identity “become known” it will have been the Schlapps that released that information since the complainant has taken steps to not have this information publicly available.

 

[essentialsaltes]

In other words, the identity of the complainant is known to the Schlapps, should the identity “become known” it will have been the Schlapps that released that information since the complainant has taken steps to not have this information publicly available.

WElllll.... a lot of people must know who it is, and I understand his name has already been tweeted about. The Walker campaign knows who he is, since he complained about the matter to them.

 

[Say it aint so]

Larry Craig.
Bob Livingston.
Mark Foley.
Denny Hassart.
Ted Haggard.
And in a different way, Jerry Falwell Jr, and I could name more.
Forcing my families values on thee, but not on me.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Accuser's wife says the incident and the pressure around it have ruined their marriage. They're getting divorced. GOP fundraiser Caroline Wren has been tweeting the alleged victim's name and generally acting like a jerk. Walker's campaign appears to have acted well, getting the accuser in touch with a lawyer, but who turns out to be the lawyer Cassidy Hutchinson accused of suggesting that she lie to the Jan 6 committee.

Daily Beast story has bad language so no link. This is my very brief summary of a long article.

 

[essentialsaltes]

In recent court filings, Schlapp has argued that the Walker staffer is proceeding anonymously to avoid scrutiny of his own record, which includes extremist commentary on a white supremacist blog and radio show more than a decade ago. The staffer has disavowed those remarks in interviews with The Post, which does not identify alleged sexual assault victims without their consent. ... A March 8 hearing is scheduled on Schlapp’s request for the plaintiff to publicly reveal his identity.

As CPAC’s flagship event in the Washington area kicks off Wednesday, ticket sales are lagging from past years, prompting price cuts, giveaways and a special rate offered to congressional staff, according to people familiar with the event’s inner workings who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information. Many high-rollers who have in the past bought the conference’s biggest premium packages have not registered this time.

This year’s theme is “Protecting America Now,” warning of the threats posed by open borders, crime, inflation and the radical left. In recent interviews with conservative outlets, Schlapp has threatened to bar unfriendly press. The lineup will feature some of the most incendiary figures on the far right, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose supporters stormed government buildings after he lost reelection in 2022, and Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who refused to concede her defeat in the 2022 governor’s race.

Republican fundraiser Caroline Wren identified the accuser on Twitter and called him a “scam artist.” She also sent The Post a report that flagged several of his professional blunders. The dossier mistakenly identified Schlapp’s accuser as a slightly older man with a similar name, and listed the other person’s Social Security number and personal information.

The Walker staffer has filed a separate “John Doe” suit against Wren for defamation in D.C. federal court. Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell earlier this month prohibited Wren from publicly identifying him, citing his “legitimate privacy interest.” Wren declined to comment on the lawsuit and has yet to respond in court.

 

[Say it aint so]

In recent court filings, Schlapp has argued that the Walker staffer is proceeding anonymously to avoid scrutiny of his own record, which includes extremist commentary on a white supremacist blog and radio show more than a decade ago. The staffer has disavowed those remarks in interviews with The Post, which does not identify alleged sexual assault victims without their consent. ... A March 8 hearing is scheduled on Schlapp’s request for the plaintiff to publicly reveal his identity.

As CPAC’s flagship event in the Washington area kicks off Wednesday, ticket sales are lagging from past years, prompting price cuts, giveaways and a special rate offered to congressional staff, according to people familiar with the event’s inner workings who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information. Many high-rollers who have in the past bought the conference’s biggest premium packages have not registered this time.

This year’s theme is “Protecting America Now,” warning of the threats posed by open borders, crime, inflation and the radical left. In recent interviews with conservative outlets, Schlapp has threatened to bar unfriendly press. The lineup will feature some of the most incendiary figures on the far right, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose supporters stormed government buildings after he lost reelection in 2022, and Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who refused to concede her defeat in the 2022 governor’s race.

Republican fundraiser Caroline Wren identified the accuser on Twitter and called him a “scam artist.” She also sent The Post a report that flagged several of his professional blunders. The dossier mistakenly identified Schlapp’s accuser as a slightly older man with a similar name, and listed the other person’s Social Security number and personal information.

The Walker staffer has filed a separate “John Doe” suit against Wren for defamation in D.C. federal court. Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell earlier this month prohibited Wren from publicly identifying him, citing his “legitimate privacy interest.” Wren declined to comment on the lawsuit and has yet to respond in court.

I am beginning to think the more these kind of folks or groups rail about gays, the more they are apt to be gay themselves. There's a long list of them.

 

[essentialsaltes]

The man who has accused Matt Schlapp, the influential leader of the Conservative Political Action Conference, of sexual misconduct came forward publicly Wednesday after a judge said he must use his real name to proceed with a lawsuit.

Carlton Huffman, 39, a longtime aide to Republican campaigns who lives in Raleigh, N.C., said he plans to amend the previously anonymous lawsuit, which seeks $9.4 million in damages for alleged sexual battery and defamation.

“I’m not backing away,” Huffman said in an interview with The Washington Post. “I’m not going to drop this. Matt Schlapp did what he did and he needs to be held accountable.”

In interviews with The Post in the weeks before the judge’s ruling, Huffman added new detail to his claims against Schlapp and provided texts, phone logs and videos that broadly match his accounts of quickly sharing the allegation. Six family members and friends and three Walker campaign officials confirmed to The Post that Huffman told them about the alleged incident that night or the next day.

But Huffman’s reputation suffered a major blow earlier this year, when his past racist writings were exposed by an anonymous email account. Huffman had frequently glorified the Confederate flag, blamed Black people and illegal immigrants for violent crime, and called for “preserving the European American culture of the United States.” Huffman immediately resigned from his job with the North Carolina General Assembly in late January after the email with links to his commentary was circulated.

“Carlton is known by many Republicans in North Carolina as a hardworking campaign professional who has helped elect conservatives across our state and country,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who has known Huffman for more than a decade, said in a statement to The Post released before Huffman’s past extremist commentary was revealed.

 

[essentialsaltes]

CPAC Is Rocked by a Resignation​

A top leader in the organization that puts on CPAC, the highly influential conference of conservative leaders, resigned on Tuesday night, citing financial mysteries surrounding the organization’s leader.

Bob Beauprez, the longtime treasurer of the American Conservative Union, said that he was not fully informed about money being paid for chairman Matt Schlapp’s legal defense against a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault. “I cannot deliver a financial report at the upcoming board meeting with any confidence in the accuracy of the numbers,” Beauprez wrote in a letter to the ACU’s board of directors.

Beauprez also said ACU was not abiding by a number of its bylaws and could face serious legal jeopardy. He wrote that board members were being paid by the organization without a vote or the approval of the full board. He accused Schlapp of exercising total control of when the board could meet, against its own rules.

“A cancer has been metastasizing within the organization for years,” he concluded his letter. “It must be diagnosed, treated, and cured, or it will destroy ACU/F. You simply cannot survive like this.”

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

CPAC Is Rocked by a Resignation​

A top leader in the organization that puts on CPAC, the highly influential conference of conservative leaders, resigned on Tuesday night, citing financial mysteries surrounding the organization’s leader.

Bob Beauprez, the longtime treasurer of the American Conservative Union, said that he was not fully informed about money being paid for chairman Matt Schlapp’s legal defense against a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault. “I cannot deliver a financial report at the upcoming board meeting with any confidence in the accuracy of the numbers,” Beauprez wrote in a letter to the ACU’s board of directors.

Beauprez also said ACU was not abiding by a number of its bylaws and could face serious legal jeopardy. He wrote that board members were being paid by the organization without a vote or the approval of the full board. He accused Schlapp of exercising total control of when the board could meet, against its own rules.

“A cancer has been metastasizing within the organization for years,” he concluded his letter. “It must be diagnosed, treated, and cured, or it will destroy ACU/F. You simply cannot survive like this.”

Ok? A top guy in an organization could be involved in unlawful payment schemes? Seems like we are hearing that regularly in the news.

 

[DaisyDay]

Ok? A top guy in an organization could be involved in unlawful payment schemes? Seems like we are hearing that regularly in the news.

True, but there is the other alleged corruption:

Beauprez also said ACU was not abiding by a number of its bylaws and could face serious legal jeopardy. He wrote that board members were being paid by the organization without a vote or the approval of the full board. He accused Schlapp of exercising total control of when the board could meet, against its own rules.
​

 

[essentialsaltes]

CPAC urged to probe more sexual misconduct claims against chair Matt Schlapp as board member resigns​

The vice chairman of the board of the American Conservative Union, Charlie Gerow, announced his resignation on Friday in a letter to other directors that called on them to authorize an investigation including any additional allegations that they or staff have become aware of, according to multiple people familiar with the letter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

In a statement released after his resignation Friday, Gerow said: “I will continue to pray that the difficulties they are encountering will be dealt with openly and honestly."

In addition to that lawsuit [in the OP], some board members and staffers have been told about other incidents involving Schlapp, 55, and two younger men, multiple people with direct knowledge of the situation said.

In one incident, a staffer said Schlapp attempted to kiss him while drinking late after a work function in 2017.

In another incident, Schlapp allegedly made unwanted physical advances on someone else’s employee during a CPAC business trip in Palm Beach, Fla.

 

[iluvatar5150]

CPAC urged to probe more sexual misconduct claims against chair Matt Schlapp as board member resigns​

The vice chairman of the board of the American Conservative Union, Charlie Gerow, announced his resignation on Friday in a letter to other directors that called on them to authorize an investigation including any additional allegations that they or staff have become aware of, according to multiple people familiar with the letter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

In a statement released after his resignation Friday, Gerow said: “I will continue to pray that the difficulties they are encountering will be dealt with openly and honestly."

In addition to that lawsuit [in the OP], some board members and staffers have been told about other incidents involving Schlapp, 55, and two younger men, multiple people with direct knowledge of the situation said.

In one incident, a staffer said Schlapp attempted to kiss him while drinking late after a work function in 2017.

In another incident, Schlapp allegedly made unwanted physical advances on someone else’s employee during a CPAC business trip in Palm Beach, Fla.

Good thing they’re focused on important things like satanists and trans people.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Ex-CPAC employee sues group for discrimination, requests $55 million in damages​

“The culture at CPAC was terrible,” the lawsuit states, “as Matt Schlapp and his wife, Mercedes Schlapp, ran the organization as if they were the King and Queen — like a dictatorship which ignored rules, laws, and basic decency when dealing with employees.”

Bratton said she experienced retaliation after raising concerns about racial bias and complaining to her managers about various working difficulties.

Bratton said she later learned Schlapps and Safavian said they fired her because she was “an agent for China.”

 

[FireDragon76]

Good thing they’re focused on important things like satanists and trans people.

I'll give them this... they know full well after a whole generation was raised post 2009 Financial Crisis, far fewer hearts are bleeding for tax cuts for rich billionaires, and far fewer people live with the delusion that our economic system is a meritocracy.

So of course, they must go after wedge issues.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Pressure mounts on CPAC chief Matt Schlapp as legal costs spiral​

Another board member resigned amid concerns over the cost of defending Schlapp from a sexual battery claim​

Morton Blackwell, who has served on the board of the American Conservative Union (ACU) since the 1970s, said he submitted his resignation Monday but declined to comment further. He has previously expressed concerns about the sexual misconduct claim against Schlapp.

Blackwell is the fifth board member to depart in recent months, following an exodus of more than half of the staff since 2021. Some former board members are calling for Schlapp’s resignation to protect the reputation of one of the oldest and most prominent institutions in the conservative movement.

“Morton Blackwell resigning is a signal to the entire conservative movement that the game is over,” said Grover Norquist, the well-known anti-tax activist who served on the CPAC board for more than 15 years.

The ACU’s payments for Schlapp’s legal fees in the case exceeded $1 million as of August, as the discovery process was only beginning, according to the resignation letter from former vice chairman Charlie Gerow that recently was filed as part of the litigation in Alexandria Circuit Court. When board treasurer Bob Beauprez resigned in May, saying he could no longer vouch for the organization’s financial statements, he also sounded the alarm about Schlapp’s legal fees.