A US senator has expressed his anger and disappointment after one of his aides reportedly appeared in a sex tape recorded in a Senate hearing room.
Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, stated that the staff member linked to the clip is "no longer a Senate employee." Speaking to reporters on Monday, Cardin emphasized that the incident was a breach of trust and has caused significant frustration and anger. He also expressed concern for the well-being of the staff affected by the situation, as per BBC News.
Capitol Police Probe Senate Room Explicit Video
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: Committee chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing for Jack Lew, President Joe Biden's nominee to be the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, on Capitol Hill October 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. Lew, a former Treasury Secretary under President Barack Obama, was nominated by Biden in September after former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides left the position over the summer.
Capitol Police acknowledged on Saturday that they were aware of the incident and investigating it further. The Daily Caller, a news outlet, published parts of the video on Friday, allegedly showing two men engaging in sexual activity inside a Senate hearing room.
However, the video has not been independently obtained or confirmed and the identities of the individuals involved remain unverified. Cardin's office released a statement after reports emerged of his staffer's involvement, stating that the individual, Aidan Maese-Czeropski, is no longer employed by the US Senate.
Maese-Czeropski, in a now-deleted statement on his LinkedIn account, described the situation as challenging and claimed to have been attacked for his personal life while pursuing a political agenda. He asserted that his actions should not be misrepresented and expressed his intention to explore available legal options.
When questioned about Maese-Czeropski's apology, Cardin clarified that he had not directly spoken to the former staffer. He also mentioned that he was unaware of any prior disciplinary issues involving his former aide. Cardin made these comments shortly after dismissing Maese-Czeropski just two days after the video went viral.
The Daily Caller has obtained and subsequently published explicit footage that allegedly depicts two individuals engaging in sexual intercourse on a Senate hearing room dais. According to the outlet, the video was filmed by a congressional staffer within the Hart Senate Office Building's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room, known for hosting significant confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justices.
In a recent incident, the identity of the responsible staffer was not disclosed, but the name of Maese-Czeropski quickly gained traction on various social media platforms, according to CBS News.
Senator's Office Faces Explicit Video Scandal
The video's release followed a report by the American Spectator, stating that a male staff member in Cardin's office had been recording pornographic videos in the Capitol. Although the staffer's name was not disclosed, the article referenced one of the staffer's social media accounts, where sexually explicit content was allegedly shared.
Maese-Czeropski, aged 24, has not confirmed his involvement in the explicit video. Instead, he used social media to distance himself from the responsibility and threatened legal action. The post on his LinkedIn account, along with his entire profile, has now been deleted.
The matter is currently under active investigation by the US Capitol Police. In a recent statement, Senator John Kennedy, a prominent Republican hailing from Louisiana, has put forth the notion that the ongoing investigation may lead to the possibility of criminal charges.
In a statement released on Monday, Cardin confirmed that he is fully cooperating with the ongoing inquiry conducted by the Capitol Police, Washington Examiner reported.
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