Danielle Dietrich, the estranged ex-sister-in-law of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is now claiming he abused his ex-wife, is a lifelong Democrat who is represented by a lawyer working for a prominent Democratic Party-connected firm.
Dietrich is represented by Leita Walker of Ballard Spahr, which “has a strong financial connection to Biden and some Democratic politicians,” according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
The news outlet reported:
Individual attorneys at Ballard Spahr have been politically active for at least the last three decades, according to data from Open Secrets. And their giving has skewed to Democrats.
But the firm’s political largesse nearly quadrupled in the Trump era. The previous high was $272,000 in 2008. In 2016, the firm’s attorneys gave $846,000. By 2020, political giving increased to more than $955,000, including $148,450 from a newly active political action committee.
According to the Capitol-Star, the firm hosted a virtual inauguration event for former President Joe Biden in 2020 with the Pennsylvania and Delaware Democratic Parties. It also reported that one of the biggest beneficiaries of the donations has been Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who attacked Hegseth during his confirmation hearing.
According to OpenSecrets.org, former Vice President Kamala Harris was the top recipient in 2024.
The law firm’s Instagram page also touts diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), a concept drawn from the Marxist-based Critical Race Theory. The firm kicked off Women’s History Month last year with a quote from Walker — Dietrich’s lawyer — that said:
“If women want any rights more than they’s got, why don’t they just take them, and not be talking about it?”
This quote from Sojourner Truth has always inspired me to not get sidetracked admiring the problem. Spend less time talking and more time doing.
It is not clear how Dietrich got linked up with Walker. Due to the large size and prestige of Ballard Spahr, Walker likely charges over $1,500 per hour.
Dietrich’s claims that Pete Hegseth abused his ex-wife were made in an affidavit that NBC News first reported on Tuesday.
The timeline and origins of the affidavit are murky.
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