The Republican operative who accused Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, of sexual assault last year received a $480,000 settlement through an insurance policy in exchange for dropping his lawsuit against Schlapp. While Schlapp’s legal team did not confirm the financial settlement, they stated that Huffman dropped the lawsuit and Schlapp claimed he had been exonerated, asserting his innocence from the beginning. Schlapp’s lawyers released a statement on Huffman’s behalf stating that the claims were a result of a misunderstanding and expressing regret for causing pain to the Schlapp family.
Despite Huffman stating that he was not paid by the Schlapps or the ACU to dismiss his claims, multiple sources confirmed that Huffman did receive a financial settlement through an insurance company. Both Huffman and his lawyer declined to comment on the details of the settlement, only stating that they had resolved their differences. When asked about the settlement, Schlapp’s spokesman referred to Huffman’s statement and initially celebrated the end of the lawsuit on social media, linking to a story claiming Schlapp had been cleared of the assault charges.
Schlapp leads the ACU, which organizes CPAC, and has been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump. The alleged assault occurred while Huffman was working on a Senate campaign in Georgia, with Huffman claiming that Schlapp made unwanted sexual advances, including groping and fondling, without his consent. The case was scheduled to go to trial in early June but was settled to prevent damaging testimony from becoming public, including concerns raised by a former CPAC vice-chair and two witnesses who had previously accused Schlapp of misconduct.
The settlement also prevented potentially damaging testimony from additional witnesses, including former officials from the Senate campaign and others with knowledge of the alleged assault. Despite the settlement, some sources do not believe that it exonerates Schlapp, as key facts were never disputed, and no efforts were made to contest Huffman’s claims. Huffman’s own personal conduct also came under scrutiny during the course of the lawsuit when he was accused of sexual assault by two women, allegations he denied and led to no criminal charges being filed.
Several colleagues of Schlapp reportedly encouraged him to settle through his homeowner’s insurance policy, but Schlapp resisted due to concerns about increasing his premiums. The decision to settle was likely driven by a desire to avoid potentially damaging testimonials that could have come out during a trial. While Schlapp claimed exoneration after the settlement, some believe that paying off the accuser does not amount to true exoneration. The settlement brought an end to a controversial legal battle that had the potential to damage the reputation of parties involved.
