Ben Cardin Speaks Out After Staffer Allegedly Filmed Sex Tape In Senate Room

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who employed the congressional staffer who allegedly appears in a tape showing two men having sex in a Senate hearing room, on Monday described the incident as a “breach of trust,” according to multiple news reports.

Cardin confirmed that Capitol Police are now investigating the events, adding that his office would fully cooperate with the probe.

“I was angry, disappointed,” Cardin told reporters, according to The Hill. “It’s a breach of trust. All of the above. It’s a tragic situation and it’s presented a lot of anger and frustration. I’m concerned about our staff and the way that they feel about this and the Senate staff.”

Cardin said he hadn’t spoken to the aide and declined to get drawn into questions about how closely he worked with him.

“I’m not going to get into my relationship with staff people,” he added, according to Politico.

Some reports named Aidan Maese-Czeropski, a now-former aide to Cardin, as one of the men shown in the video.

Cardin’s office over the weekend confirmed to HuffPost that “Maese-Czeropski is no longer employed by the U.S. Senate.”

In a since-deleted post on LinkedIn, Maese-Czeropski said some of his actions had demonstrated “poor judgement” without specifically referring to the sex tape.

“I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace,” Maese-Czeropski added. “Any attempts to characterize my actions otherwise are fabricated and I will be exploring what legal options are available to me in these matters.”

The tape was first reported by The Daily Caller, which published a censored version of the video Friday. The conservative outlet said the footage, which they reported was filmed in Senate room Hart 216 — where the Judiciary Committee meets — was leaked and shared in a private group for gay men in politics.

Cardin, 80, announced earlier this year that he would be resigning at the end of his current term, which expires in January 2025.