DC is buzzing about a Senate sex scandal. What it says about the way we argue gay sex.
A queer sex scandal ignited the group chats of many a D.C. denizen in recent days in regards to a video that allegedly depicts a male Democratic Senate staffer having sex with another man in a Senate hearing room. The staffer, who worked for Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, is no longer a Senate employee.
"I was angry," Cardin said of the scandal on Monday, "disappointed. It's a breach of trust." Capitol Police are investigating.
Many in the society rolled their eyes or guffawed about the incident – something to gossip about. Meanwhile, some lawmakers, mostly conservatives, were quick to issue critical statements. Republican Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, for example, posted a meme asking "which desecration was worse" with a still from the video side by side with one from the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Experts agree a sex act at work, filmed and shared online, in a revered Senate hearing room, would make headlines, regardless of who was involved. But they say reaction to this particular scandal may speak volumes to how we talk about queer relations.
'It's always newsworthy when sex and politics
US Senator Ben Cardin 'angry' over Senate sex tape linked to aide
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A US senator has said he is angry after an aide reportedly appeared in a sex tape recorded in a Senate hearing room.
Ben Cardin said the staff member who has been linked to the clip was "no longer a Senate employee".
The Maryland Democrat told reporters: "I was angry, displeased. It's a breach of believe. All of the above."
No charges have been filed, according to US media. The BBC has contacted US Capitol Police for comment.
The police department tasked with protecting Congress has told US media it was looking into the matter.
The Daily Caller reported on Friday that the video showed a congressional aide having "sex with an unknown guy in the Senate hearing room" and that it was posted in a private group for gay men in politics. It is unclear when it took place.
The tape appeared to contain been filmed in a deserted Hart Senate Office Building room 216, according to Politico. The room has hosted blockbuster hearings, including the 9/11 Commission and Supreme Court nominations.
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The BBC has not independently ver
Washington — Sen. Ben Cardin said Capitol Police are checking after news reports linked one of his former aides to a sex tape that was allegedly filmed in a Capitol Hill hearing room.
The Maryland Democrat told reporters Monday that he was "angry" and "disappointed" by the incident.
"It's a breach of trust," he said. "It's a tragic situation, and it's presented a lot of ire and frustration. I'm concerned about our staff and the way that they feel about this."
Capitol Police said Saturday they were notified of the incident and "looking into" it.
The Daily Caller published parts of the video on Friday that allegedly shows two men having sex in a Senate hearing room. CBS News has not independently obtained the video or confirmed the identity of the individuals involved.
After it was reported that one of his staffers was deeply interested, Cardin's office released a statement saying: "Aidan Maese-Czeropski is no longer employed by the U.S. Senate."
In a remark on his LinkedIn account, which has since been deleted, Maese-Czeropski said, "This has been a difficult time for me, as I have been attacked for who I love to pursue a political
Washington — U.S. Capitol Police said Thursday it is closing an investigation into a sex tape filmed in a Capitol Hill hearing room without pursuing charges, saying "there is currently no evidence that a crime was committed."
"For now, we are closing the analysis into the facts and circumstances surrounding a sex video that was recorded inside the Hart Senate Office Building on the morning of Wednesday, December 13," Capitol Police said in a statement.
"After consulting with federal and local prosecutors, as well as doing a comprehensive study and review of achievable charges, it was determined that — despite a likely violation of congressional policy — there is currently no evidence that a crime was committed," the statement added.
In December, The Daily Caller published portions of a video showing two men having sex on what appeared to be the dais of a hearing room in the Hart Senate Office Building. Reports soon identified one of the men involved as a staffer for Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat. Cardin's office confirmed that Capitol Police were probing, and said the staffer in question was "no longer em