EXCLUSIVE: Bruce Lehrman takes a veiled swipe at Brittany Higgins over leaked chat with Lisa Wilkinson about sabotaging her political career – which also reveals he knew people would identify him as her alleged abuser
Bruce Lehrman takes a shot at Brittany Higgins as she tells Lisa Wilkinson that she will be running for the seat of Wentworthsaid she wants people to identify her and stop her career
Bruce Lehrman has taken a swipe at comments made by Brittany Higgins during a private chat with Lisa Wilkinson, editing her Instagram bio to say she is the ‘Potential Liberal MP to succeed Wentworth’.
Mr Lehrman’s biography, which was updated on Friday, contained a reference to Ms Higgins’ comments during a five-hour recorded meeting in January 2021 with her fiance David Sharaz, Wilkinson and Channel 10 producer Angus Llewellyn.
The conversation, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, was in preparation for an upcoming interview with Wilkinson on The Project, during which Ms Higgins publicly alleged for the first time that Mr Lehrman raped her in Parliament House in March 2019.
He has always denied the allegations.
During the pre-show meeting, Ms Higgins was heard describing Mr Lehrman’s position in the political arena when she said he was a ‘legacy’ Liberal activist who would ‘eventually run for a seat’.
Bruce Lehrman changed his Instagram bio on Friday to say he was the ‘Liberal MP likely to succeed Wentworth’.
Ms. Higgins acknowledged that for legal reasons the network cannot name Mr. Lehrman as her alleged attacker, but she hopes “enough people” will be able to identify him as the alleged rapist and stop his political career from progressing.
‘If enough people can put two and two together it will prevent him from one day being preselected for the seat of Wentworth or something,’ he said.
The seat of Wentworth mainly covers Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs and includes Bondi, Watson Bay, Vaucluse, Rose Bay, Double Bay, along with parts of Elizabeth Bay and Potts Point.
Mr Lehrman grew up in Toowoomba, south-west Queensland. He then lived in Canberra until he left his job as a parliamentary staffer in 2019.
Shortly before Mr Lehrman commented on running for the Sydney seat, he cited reasons why former colleagues should be able to identify with him.
He said, ‘Those who know the team will know that it is two and two.
‘He was in that office, they’ll know, and that’s all that matters’.
Brittany Higgins is featured on The Project in 2019, when she first publicly alleged that Bruce Lehrman raped her.
Bruce Lehrman (pictured) has denied having sex with Ms Higgins
Mr Sharaj exclaimed: ‘And when it comes out he will hang himself.’
Mrs Higgins said: ‘And that’s the thing.’
Mr Sharaj interrupted: ‘That’s good enough for me.’
Mr. Lehrman was not named at the time of The Project interview, but he launched a defamation suit in March against the network and Wilkinson over the interview.
She claims she was defamed because former colleagues and people in parliamentary circles were able to identify her as the alleged rapist.
Former staff are suing the ABC for broadcasting Ms Higgins’ address to the National Press Club.
The case is scheduled for trial in November.
Mr Lehrman’s Instagram account made headlines earlier this year when it was revealed he had returned to the platform after a two-year hiatus.
His biography included a version of a quote by US author Mark Twain: ‘A lie can travel halfway around the world when the truth has its shoes on.’
Although Lisa Wilkinson was not named in the interview with Ms Higgins (pictured together), Mr Lehrman argues that she would have been known in political circles.