'Batch of eye-popping new filings' in sexual harassment case haunt CPAC as conference starts: report
In January of 2023, The Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger exclusively reported that a former staffer for failed Georgia Senate GOP candidate Herschel Walker alleged that he'd been sexually harassed by Matt Schlapp, right-wing activist and head of the prominent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
Just over one year later — although the conservative leader adamantly denies any wrongdoing — it became clear during kick-off for the organization's 50th annual conference Wednesday, February 21, that Carlton Huffman's accusations continue to haunt Schlapp and CPAC.
On the conference's opening day, according to Sollenberger's Wednesday, February 22 report, "the Alexandria City Courthouse posted a batch of eye-popping new filings in the sexual battery and defamation lawsuit against Schlapp—including a subpoena to a CPAC official alleged to have overseen document destruction days after the accusations were first publicly reported."
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Sollenberger reports, "Three sources familiar with the situation told The Daily Beast that the recently subpoenaed CPAC official—manager of strategic initiatives, Lynne Rasmussen—directly oversaw interns shredding documents in or near her office shortly after The Daily Beast published Huffman’s allegations."
He also notes:
The new complaint charged CPAC with negligent retention of an official and conspiracy. Huffman seeks a combined judgment of more than $13.5 million, with a parallel federal defamation suit against Jan. 6 fundraiser and far-right gadfly Caroline Wren. (Wren has denied any wrongdoing.)
The alleged CPAC document destruction took place soon after the first public reports of Huffman’s accusation, according to three people familiar with the matter and communications reviewed by The Daily Beast. The communications—coming from a person in the CPAC office, and written the day of the event—even provide an exact date: Jan. 11, 2023, five days after the allegations were first publicly reported.
Sollenberger adds,"The court records show subpoenas to other key witnesses, as well, including CPAC officials and other alleged victims. Two young men who previously reported unwanted physical advances from Schlapp have been deposed, including in connection with an alleged incident where the conservative icon, drunk and stripped to his underwear, rubbed his crotch on a young man at a fundraising event months before the alleged assault at the center of the lawsuit."
In August, Sollenberger reported Schlapp "made an offer in March to settle the multimillion-dollar sexual battery and defamation lawsuit against him, but the proposal was rejected, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the matter."
Following several reports on the incident by Sollenberger, the CPAC leader's wife, Mercedes Schlapp, took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, "The Daily Beast is Satan’s publication to persecute Christians and their families."
Huffman followed up on the allegations "with a multimillion-dollar sexual battery and defamation lawsuit against Schlapp," his wife, and against the organization, which is set for jury trial in June, according to the Beast.
The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required).
