U.S. Capitol Police are investigating reports of two men having sex in public on Capitol grounds.
Far-right outlet The Daily Caller obtained the explicit video reportedly shot in the Hart Senate Office Building, gaining widespread attention and sparking controversy online.
Video Shows Two Men Engaging in Anal Sex in Senate Hearing Room
In the video, two unidentified men engage in anal sex inside what appears to be a Senate hearing room - a room known for hosting hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
One of the men is nude and bent over the dais behind which Senators would typically sit when conducting official business and questioning witnesses. The clip, recorded from the perspective of the other participant, includes a brief pan of the Senate seal on the wall.
"We are aware and looking into this," a spokesperson for the Capitol Police told The Advocate in a statement on Friday.
Who is the Staffer in the Video?
Widely circulated and unconfirmed reports online identified one of the people in the video as Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin's staff member Aidan Maese-Czeropski.
However, Maese-Czeropski took to LinkedIn to issue a statement in the wake of the controversy, stating he was being "attacked for who I love, to pursue a political agenda" and that he "would never disrespect my workplace,"
"This has been a difficult time for me, as I have been attacked for who I love to pursue a political agenda," he wrote. "While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgement, I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace. Any attempts to characterize my actions otherwise are fabricated and I will be exploring what legal options are available to me in these matters."
"We have seen media reports emanating from the right-wing media. As this is a personnel matter and under review, we will not be commenting further at this time," a spokesperson for Cardin told The Advocate.
