- “I’m quitting all my lawsuits,” Carlton Huffman, 40, said Tuesday
- He said his claims were the result of a ‘complete misunderstanding’
- Matt Schlapp, 56, said his family was targeted in ‘brutal war’
The Republican operative who accused high-profile conservative leader Matt Schlapp of sexual assault has dropped his lawsuits against him and his wife.
“I am dropping all my lawsuits,” said Carlton Huffman, 40, who accused the head of the American Conservative Union of groping him in 2022 while working for Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign.
“The allegations in my lawsuits were the result of a complete misunderstanding, and I regret that the lawsuit has caused pain to the Schlapp family.”
In his lawsuit, he alleged that Schlapp “aggressively” fondled his crotch as the two drove from a restaurant to a hotel.
It sought $9.4 million to settle a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and defamation against Schlapp and his wife Mercedes.
“Our family was attacked by left-wing media focused on destroying conservatives regardless of the truth and facts,” said Conservative Leader Matt Schlapp, seen here in a photo with his wife Mercedes.
“I am dropping all my lawsuits,” said Carlton Huffman, 40, who had accused the head of the American Conservative Union of groping him in 2022 while working for Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign.
Schlapp, 56, said his family had fallen victim to a “merciless war” waged by political opponents.
“Our family was attacked by left-wing media focused on destroying conservatives regardless of the truth and facts,” he said.
“But we will emerge from this ordeal stronger as husband and wife, stronger as parents to our five daughters, stronger as friends to those who supported us.”
Huffman also dropped a case against Caroline Wren, an advisor to Schlapp.
He initially filed the complaint anonymously as “John Doe,” citing his status as an alleged sexual assault victim.
It details how Schlapp was in Georgia toward the end of the 2022 election campaign to lend his support to former football star Walker, who ultimately lost a runoff election to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.
It was alleged that Schlapp invited campaign staff for drinks after Huffman drove him back to Atlanta after an event.
At a local bar, Schlapp sat “unusually close” to the accuser, “such that his leg repeatedly came into contact and was in almost constant contact with Mr. Doe’s leg,” the filing said.
Huffman worked for Herschel Walker’s campaign for Senate in Georgia. He lost in a second round
Huffman puts out Walker signs outside an event in Kennesaw, Georgia
The employee then took him back to his hotel. During the ride, Schlapp reportedly placed his hand on Huffman’s leg, leaving him “frozen in shock, mortification and fear at what was happening, especially given Mr. Schlapp’s power and status in conservative social circles.”
The Conservative Political Action Conference welcomed the decision to drop the case.
“The board of directors strongly supports Matt Schlapp as the leader of this organization,” the report said.
“The left-wing media obviously didn’t wait for the facts to come out and instead launched a character assassination campaign to destroy CPAC, Matt and his family.”