GOP Sen. Martha McSally: Joint Chiefs of Staff nominee accused of sexual assault 'is innocent'
President Trump's nominee for vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday denied allegations of sexual assault, receiving support from Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) in the process.
The Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday held a confirmation hearing for General John Hyten, who has been accused by a senior military officer and former aide of sexual assault. Kathryn Spletstoser told The New York Times that Hyten tried to kiss her and touch her inappropriately on numerous occasions and that in a hotel room, he pulled her toward him, kissed her, pressed himself against her, and ejaculated onto her. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations found insufficient evidence to support the allegation, CBS News reports.
"I want to state to you and to the American people in the strongest possible terms that these allegations of false," Hyten told the Senate on Tuesday, CSPAN reports.
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McSally, who has said she was raped by a superior officer when she was in the Air Force, defended Hyten during the hearing and said she will support his nomination after a "thorough" review of the allegation.
"I am confident in the outcome," McSally said, CSPAN reports. "...The truth is that General Hyten is innocent of these charges. Sexual assault happens in the military. It just didn't happen in this case." McSally said she "knew the message" this conclusion might send to sexual assault survivors but that they "haven't seen all the information on the case that I have."
Spletstoser, who attended the hearing, recently told Politico that if Hyten is confirmed, "it tells every general officer or flag officer that they’re above the law, that victims do not matter." Brendan Morrow
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