In a published email, Pete Hegseth’s mother calls him a “perpetrator of violence against women.”

Mother Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump‘S candidate for secretary of defenseShe accused her son of abusing and exploiting women in… email released By New York Times. Penelope Hegseth sent an email describing his treatment of women on April 30, 2018, while he was in the process of divorcing his second wife, Samantha Hegseth.

“You are a perpetrator of violence against women – that is a terrible truth and I have no respect for any man who degrades, lies, cheats, sleeps and exploits women for his own power and ego,” Penelope wrote. “You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother it hurts and embarrasses me to say this, but it’s the sad, sad truth… your years of abuse of women (dishonesty, sleeping, cheating, belittling, belittling) needs to be publicized “.

According to TimesSamantha filed for divorce after her husband impregnated a co-worker. In an email, Penelope wrote: “Sam is a good mother and a good person (under the circumstances you created) and I know deep down you know it. Trying to label her as “unstable” for your own benefit is despicable and insulting. Is there any decency left in you? She didn’t ask for or deserve any of what happened to her at your hands. She added, referring to Hegseth’s first wife, “Like Meredith.”

Penelope sent an email to her son and Samantha. It was obtained by Times from “another person associated with the Hegseth family.” Penelope condemned her first email in: interview with the newspaper on Friday evening, saying she immediately sent her son a follow-up email apologizing for what she wrote “out of anger and emotion.”

She stated that her statements about the way he treated women were “untrue”. “That was never true,” she said. “I know my son. He is a good father, husband.”

In an email, Penelope wrote: “We still love you, but we are heartbroken by your behavior and lack of character. I don’t want to write emails like this and I never thought I would. If it damages our relationship even more, so be it, but at least I’ve said my piece.”

She concluded, “You still twist and abuse everything I say,” noting that “on behalf of all the women (and I know there are many) who you have taken advantage of in some way, I say… get help and take an honest look at yourself… “

Earlier this month, it emerged that Hegseth, a former Army soldier and current Fox News host, was under investigation for an alleged sexual assault in Monterey, California in 2017. City of Monterey confirmed that a police report had been prepared regarding Hegseth. According to the release, the city’s police department “was investigating an alleged sexual assault” that occurred around the early morning hours of October 8, 2017, at 1 Old Golf Course Road.

CNN previously reported that, according to Hegseth’s lawyer, Hegseth paid the woman who accused him of sexual assault as part of a settlement that included a confidentiality clause. His lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, said Hegseth denied the assault and called the 2017 incident “consensual sexual intercourse.”

Parlatore also said Vanity fair that “the allegation was already investigated by Monterey police and they found no evidence of it.” Hegeset he later declared “the battle is just beginning” regarding the allegation.

Matt Gaetz previously he withdrew his name Donald Trump is not being considered for attorney general amid allegations of sexual misconduct, and Trump’s team is apparently pissed off that Hegseth had not informed them in advance of the charges against him.

“How did he not know? Why didn’t he tell us? source close to Trump he said Rolling Stone. “Pete didn’t interview for a job at McDonald’s; This is the fucking Pentagon! … Even if the allegations are false, it doesn’t matter because he was supposed to tell us what we needed to know so that we would be better prepared to defend him, not find out about it from the media.”

Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, said in a statement: “Pete Hegseth dedicated his life as a warrior to our troops and our country.” He added: “With Pete as our Secretary of Defense, America’s enemies will be seen and our military will be great again. We look forward to his confirmation and his tenure as Secretary of Defense.”