Helmer Settles With Final Defendant In Defamation Lawsuit Tied To Sexual Allegations In 2024 Primary

By Charlotte Rene Woods and Ben Paviourt, Virginia Mercury

January 28, 2026

Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, has reached a settlement with all parties in a defamation lawsuit he filed more than a year ago, ending a legal battle tied to sexual assault allegations that surfaced days before he finished second in a crowded June 2024 Democratic primary for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.

The lawsuit was originally filed against Avram Fechter, Charles King and Lissa Savaglio. Fechter and Savaglio have been involved with the Loudoun County Democratic Committee, while King has served as Savaglio’s attorney. Savaglio was the most recent to settle; the other two defendants reached a settlement late last year.

The original allegation stemmed from an alleged sexual assault by Helmer at a 2018 event, in which he was accused of inappropriately touching Savaglio.

In seeking the defamation suit, Helmer cited refuting evidence that included screenshots of text messages between the two, in which she warned that a “grassroots activist” had asked her about rumors of sexual misconduct and described the claims as “typical Republican tactics.”

Helmer’s suit also included an image of Savaglio on the night of the alleged incident at a different event, suggesting she was not with Helmer when the purported altercation took place.

Around the time the allegation surfaced, NOTUS reported that the alleged incident prompted the Loudoun County Democratic Committee to adopt new policies aimed at preventing sexual misconduct.

Fechter added at the time that no immediate action against Helmer was pursued in 2018 because the alleged victim — later identified as Savaglio — was not yet willing to come forward publicly.

Delays in reporting sexual assault can be nuanced, with multiple studies indicating that the relationship between a survivor and the alleged perpetrator is a common factor.

Still, Helmer has maintained that the allegations were politically motivated, accusing the defendants of attempting to damage his campaign in favor of his opponent, Suhas Subramanyam, who went on to win the nomination and now serves as the district’s congressman.

“While we always knew our politics were dirty, the false accusations leveled against me were a new low,” Helmer said in a statement. “They caused immeasurable harm to myself, my wife and my two children.”

With settlements now reached with all parties, Helmer said that he believes the defendants acknowledge they would have lost in court had the case gone to trial. An aide for Helmer confirmed that Savaglio agreed to the terms of the settlement and the release.

Helmer had originally sought $15 million in damages and did not disclose additional terms of the settlement.

This story was originally published by the Virginia Mercury. For more stories from the Virginia Mercury, visit Virginia Mercury.com.