Who is Matt Schlapp, the CPAC juggernaut at the center of a sexual harassment suit?
After being at the center of Republican politics for decades, the CPAC head now finds himself at the center of a sexual harassment suit


In the vast constellation of conservative figures, there are few who have exhibited both the gravity and luminosity of Matt Schlapp, chair of the powerful American Conservative Union, and longtime powerhouse within a particular right-wing gestalt. With his Fox News appearances and the Conservative Political Action Conference, Schlapp has spent years cultivating a reputation as a savvy political operative and kingmaker within the GOP, first in the trenches as a congressional staffer, on through his time as a White House official, and finally as leader of one of the most influential conservative groups in the United States today.
When he was accused of sexual assault in early January, the allegations he'd groped a male staffer for then-candidate Herschel Walker's Georgia Senate campaign prompted an immediate denial from Schlapp's attorney, along with a threat of "legal options" against the unnamed accuser. Shortly thereafter, Schlapp's accuser filed a lawsuit in the Virginia Circuit Court of Alexandria, requesting nearly $10 million in damages for "a sexual battery committed" as well as for the "subsequent dishonest efforts by Mr. Schlapp, his wife, defendant Mercedes V. Schlapp, and others associated and acting in concert with them, to discredit" him once the allegations had been made public.
So who is Matt Schlapp, and how does this latest episode fit into his long career of conservative activism?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
How long has he been involved in Republican politics?
As you'd probably expect from someone in the uppermost echelons of conservatism, Matt Schlapp has been at this for a long time. Before entering the world of professional politics, Schlapp founded a conservative student magazine as an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame, then earned a Master's in Public Administration at Wichita State University. He began his political career in earnest in 1994, working his way up the congressional staffer ranks for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) for five years before joining the George W. Bush 2000 election team as one of the campaign's regional political directors. It was in this role that Schlapp first rose to national prominence, participating in the now-infamous "Brooks Brothers Riot" of well-dressed GOP operatives who massed at Florida's Miami-Dade polling office to (ultimately successfully) throw the 2000 presidential election to the Republicans.
For his work on the campaign, Schlapp was appointed then-President Bush's White House Political Director, serving for several years before leaving the administration to become the top political lobbyist for Koch Industries. Schlapp eventually left Koch to launch his own political consulting firm, Cove Strategies, with his wife and future Donald Trump communications director, Mercedes Schlapp.
What has he done since becoming head of the ACU?
In 2014, Schlapp's election to replace outgoing American Conservative Union head Al Cardenas was heralded as a step toward a more open, welcoming phase of the right-wing organization — particularly for gay conservatives — saying at the time that "the goal of ACU is not to kick all people out who might come from a different perspective."
"In its name, it's a union, to bring people together in a coalition," he continued. "That's the goal. When it comes to CPAC, the welcome mat is out, recognizing the fact that not everyone agrees. At the same time, we want to be true to our principles." Nevertheless, during his tenure as ACU chair, Schlapp has hosted a number of notoriously anti-LGBTQ figures at his annual CPAC gathering, including authoritarian Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, and Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson.
Under Schlapp's watch, CPAC has transitioned into what many critics — including past and current board members — allege is a decidedly Trump-oriented "pay-to-play" operation for modern, MAGA-tinged conservatism. As one former CPAC official told The Guardian, "Matt changed the board so it's more business people and fundraisers who can help Matt. It's changed from a conservative conference to a Trump conference." Said another current board member: "The board has become more and more ceremonial. We don't even vote to authorize international CPAC events. Because there are so many potential pitfalls to foreign engagement, including accepting foreign funds, these should be board-level decisions."
Nevertheless, Schlapp's position at the head of ACU remains solid enough that even following the allegations of his sexual assault, Republican lawmakers have maintained a sense of relative (albeit not absolute) comfort associating with CPAC.
What happens now?
Through his attorney, Schlapp has forcefully rejected the allegations of assault from the Walker staffer, writing on Twitter that "the Schlapp family is suffering unbearable pain and stress due to the false allegation from an anonymous individual." The statement also confirmed that Schlapp is exploring "counter-lawsuit options" against his accuser, although to date no such suits have been filed.
Meanwhile, CPAC's 2023 conference runs from March 1 to March 4, with scheduled speakers including Steve Bannon, who is appealing his contempt of Congress guilty verdict, as well as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and former President Donald Trump.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
The seven strangest historical discoveries made in 2025
The Explainer From prehistoric sunscreen to a brain that turned to glass, we've learned some surprising new facts about human history
-
Sudoku hard: June 19, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Crossword: June 19, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
'Is it even possible to enjoy a trip without contributing to the problem?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump ramps up Iran threats, demands 'surrender'
Speed Read Trump met with his top aides in the Situation Room on Tuesday
-
Travel ban: It's back and it's bigger
Feature Trump revives a controversial travel ban, targeting mostly poor, nonwhite countries
-
'Big Oil does not accept responsibility'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
ABA sues Trump over 'law firm intimidation policy'
Speed Read Trump has 'used the vast powers of the executive branch to coerce lawyers,' the lawsuit said
-
Judge orders Trump's NIH grant cuts reversed
Speed Read Trump had attempted to slash more than $1 billion in research grants
-
Trump leaves G7 early, warns Tehran to evacuate
Speed Read Trump claimed to have left the summit due to ongoing issues in the Middle East
-
Ábrego García: Why the White House blinked
Feature Kilmar Ábrego García returns to the U.S. after being illegally deported, but his legal fight is far from over