Matt Rossendale, a Republican member of Congress from Montana, is embroiled in controversy following allegations of an extramarital affair with a young staff member, which he firmly denies.
These claims, which also suggest the staff member became pregnant, were levied by former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat who served from 2013 to 2019. Rossendale has responded to the allegations by threatening legal action against her for defamation.
The accusations surfaced when Heitkamp mentioned on a podcast, Talking Feds, that she had heard rumors of his involvement with a 20-year-old member of his staff, implying this might lead to his resignation. She also speculated that the affair was the reason behind Rossendale’s recent withdrawal from the Senate race, after initially declaring his candidacy in early February.
In response, the congressman’s office categorically denied Heitkamp’s statements, labeling them as “100% false and defamatory.” They maintained that Matt Rossendale has not engaged in any inappropriate conduct with staff and have attributed his exit from the Senate race to former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Tim Sheehy.
The former North Dakota Senator has yet to substantiate her claims, which she acknowledged were based on hearsay. She has not yet replied to the threat of a defamation lawsuit nor retracted her statements.
