By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The congressional staffer who allegedly taped himself having sex in the room may have violated policy but committed no crime, according to Capitol Police.
The U.S. Capitol Police have found no evidence of a crime in the case of a Senate staffer who allegedly taped himself having sex with another man in a congressional hearing room, and they have closed their investigation.
Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter.
The video of two men having sex in a hearing room in the Hart Senate Office Building was posted online in December. The staffer, identified previously as Aidan Maese-Czeropski, worked for U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland. He has been dismissed from his position.
Related: U.S. Capitol Police Investigating Video of 2 Men Having Sex in Senate Hearing Room
The Capitol Police released this statement Thursday, “For now, we are closing the investigation 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. After consulting with federal and local prosecutors, as well as doing a comprehensive investigation and review of possible charges, it was determined that — despite a likely violation of Congressional policy — there is currently no evidence that a crime was committed."
The footage was originally posted by The Daily Caller, a right-wing news outlet. It sparked much criticism from the right about the supposed depravity of Democrats, but others have pointed out that many Republicans have been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior as well.
Related: 14 Notorious Republican Sex Scandals
"Although the hearing room was not open to the public at the time, the Congressional staffer involved had access to the room. The two people of interest were not cooperative, nor were the elements of any of the possible crimes met. The Congressional staffer, who has since resigned from his job, exercised his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and refused to talk to us. Our investigators are willing to review new evidence should any come to light,” the police said.
In December, Maese-Czeropski posted statements on LinkedIn about the matter, without specifically confirming or denying the allegations. “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,” he said, adding that he would seek legal counsel to address false allegations against him.
