Video of Men Having Sex in Hearing Room Spreads
One Is a Senator's Aide... The Person Denies It
A video showing a male legislative aide of a U.S. senator engaging in sexual activity with another man in the Senate hearing room at the U.S. Capitol was released.
On the 15th (local time), the American media outlet Daily Caller released a video showing two men having sex in the Senate hearing room at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. The video captured a man, believed to be a congressional staffer, having sex with a naked man in Hearing Room 216. The buttocks and genitals of the two men were explicitly visible.
A video showing two men having sex in a hearing room of the United States Capitol has been released, sparking widespread controversy. [Image source=Daily Caller YouTube channel capture]
One of the men appearing in the video was identified as Aidan Mace-Cheropski, an aide to Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Following the Daily Caller's report, Senator Cardin's office announced, "One legislative aide has been fired," but did not clarify whether it was related to this incident.
However, on the 17th, Cheropski posted on his social media, "I may have made mistakes in the past, but I love my job and respect my workplace." He also denied being the man in the video. He added, "I will look into what legal actions I can take."
The Daily Caller reported that the video was leaked through chat and shared within a private group for gay men in politics.
Regarding this incident, Jonathan Turley, a law professor and attorney at George Washington University, stated, "Even if the men in the video engaged in consensual sex, they could face criminal charges," and pointed out, "The key issue is whether the Senate hearing room is considered a public place and whether unofficial use of it constitutes illegal trespassing."
Aidan Mace-Cheropski, an aide to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, was identified as the man in the video and was dismissed, but he denied it, saying it was not him. [Image source: Aidan Mace-Cheropski LinkedIn capture]
He continued, "Exposing one's genitals obscenely or engaging in lewd acts in a public place is illegal, and upon conviction, one could face fines, imprisonment, or both," adding, "It is also important whether the video was used for commercial purposes."
Hearing Room 216, where this incident occurred, is reportedly used for confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justices and presidential nominees.
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