Prominent CPAC Leader Matt Schlapp Accused of ‘Pummeling’ Male Staffer’s Genitals
President Donald Trump is greeted by Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, as the president arrives to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2020, at National Harbor, in Oxon Hill, Md., Saturday Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Matt Schlapp is the chairman of the American Conservative Union, which hosts the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He is also a close ally to former President Donald Trump and leads the Cove Strategies lobbying firm. Schlapp is married to former Trump White House aide Mercedes Schlapp.A former male aide for the Hershal Walker campaign is accusing Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union and a prominent leader in conservative politics, of groping him.“He reached between my legs and fondled me. To my shame I didn’t say anything [to make him stop,]” the aide told NBC News, who is withholding the aide’s name because he fears it will negatively affect his GOP political career.Schlapp and his lawyer did not respond to NBC News about the allegations, but his lawyer did tell The Daily Beast that Schlapp denies the allegations.A Walker campaign senior official did confirm to NBC that the aide told him about the allegations when they occurred in October.On October 19, Schlapp was at an event for the Walker campaign in Perry, Georgia, about 100 miles south of Atlanta. The Walker aide, who was assigned to chauffeur Schlapp, says he was invited by Schlapp for drinks at the Capital Grille in Atlanta and thought the face-to-face could advance his career.After leaving the bar because it was “dead,” the two went to Manuel’s Tavern, a popular spot for Georgian politicians, particularly Democrats. It was at the new bar where the aide says things got uncomfortable, with Schlapp “intruding” his personal space. The aide notes Schlapp bumped into his gun when their legs were touching and asked him what he was carrying.The aide told him his firearm was a Sig Sauer, a firearm company that makes multiple types of guns but is best known for its P365 handgun. However, the aide recalled he was surprised Schlapp, a prominent proponent of the Second Amendment, was unfamiliar with the gun.After the two left the bar, they headed to the Hilton Garden Inn near the Atlanta airport. The aide recorded a video a few hours after the ride, describing what he says happened that night.
“From Manuel’s Tavern to the Hilton Garden Inn there at the Atlanta airport, he literally had his hands on me. Matt Schlapp of the CPAC grabbed my junk and pummeled it at length.”
The aide did not post the video publicly but did share it with NBC News.“To my shame, I did not say ‘no’ or ‘stop,’” the staffer continues in the video according to NBC. “God knows it was not a wanted advance.”The aide then says Schlapp invited him up to his hotel room but he refused. The next day the aide sent text messages to Schlapp, saying he was uncomfortable with the events of the previous day, and that “the campaign does have a driver who is available to get you to Macon and back to the airport.” The aide reportedly shared screenshots of the conversation with NBC news.According to a screenshot of the staffer’s call log, Schlapp attempted to call the staffer at least three times after the text messages, but the staffer did not answer.A Walker senior campaign official confirmed Schlapp did not show up to the event the following day and did not communicate with the Walker campaign about arranging a ride for him.Both a campaign official and the staffer confirmed the Walker campaign made legal resources available to the staffer who ultimately chose to not pursue legal action. Instead, he says he is speaking to the media to bring light to Schlapp’s behavior, which the aide described as predatory.“The whole thing makes me physically ill,” the senior Walker campaign official told NBC News.
