Senator Ben Cardin responded last night to questions from reporters about the leak of a video on Friday. It allegedly shows one of his former staffers in a judiciary hearing room engaging in graphic sexual activity with another man.
Several news outlets have named the staffer allegedly featured in the video. He posted a message on his own social media that appeared to confirm it was him, saying “While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgment, 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.”
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The man was an aide for Maryland Senator Ben Cardin (D). After the video emerged, Cardin’s office confirmed to Politico, the staffer “is no longer employed by the US Senate”.
Cardin’s office issued no direct words from the 80-year-old Senator about the incident. Last night, reporters quizzed him at the Capitol.
“I understand the Capitol Police are doing an investigation,” Cardin said, confirming his office was cooperating fully with authorities on the matter.
“’He left the Senate employment, and the appropriate steps were taken from the point of view of our office,” Cardin added.
Asked how well he knew the staffer, Cardin declined to comment. Asked how he reacted when he heard the news, Cardin said, “I was angry. I was disappointed.
“It’s a breach of trust. All of the above,” Cardin said. “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.”
“They fired him”
Cardin added that he has not talked to the ex-staffer. He refused to confirm that his staff had fired the staffer. However, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who sits on the judiciary committee, told reporters “They fired him.”
The incident took place in Hart 216 judiciary room. The location played host to the 9/11 Commission and several Supreme Court nomination hearings.
The twinky staffer has locked down his social media since the video leaked. Daily Mail reached out to his mother on Saturday to ask how he was doing. She said her now unemployed son was distraught by the scandal.
“You don’t want to know how he’s doing,” she said.
Oh, let the bad faith arguments and false equivalencies roll in!
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OK, I’ve been trying to imagine it. How exactly do you think it would be different if his boss had been a Republican senator? Would the senator say something like “Gay men are all perverts and of course, I’ll make sure never to hire another one!” Would that make you happy?
“Imagine the story if this had happened on the Republican side? Biden’s America!”
Since you probably get your news entirely from OAN, Newsmax and RightSide Broadcasting (maybe the Daily Storm for “opinion”) you would have seen not a word about it had it been glossed over as much as possible. “Biden’s America” my ass! Democrats don’t have colt leader who leads us to dream about the taste of their shit. That is on your side, and only on your side.
List any Republican legislation that rises to the level of importance of:
The Pact Act,
The Inflation Reduction Act,
The Chips Act,
The American Rescue Plan,
The infrastructure act…
In fact, name any republican attempts to address real American problems and issues.
Name any actual allegations against Biden that rise to the level of factual support of the indictments against Trump.
And if you actually believe Biden’s America is inferior to Trumps failed administration, Site real statistics to support it.
Shaver, explain to all of us what the EFF Biden has to do with this?!? Are you REALLY so depraved, petty, divisive and small minded that you have to make EVERYTHING political?? This incident is nothing more than a young, dumb, unprofessional, numbskull doing something terminable where he rightfully lost his job. As an older Independent who’s voted both sides of the aisle, I can’t tell you how tedious and useless I find comments like yours. They do NOTHING to restore American unity, and further the destructive garbage tearing our great nation apart. If today’s comment is indicative of your best ‘insight’, it’s time for you to pack it in and permanently take up residence under a rock. At the very least, stay silent tell you have something to offer up that makes sense to those of us with a higher IQ.
The only reason Borbert’s theater story got any traction is because she was disruptive to the actors and audience of a performance. No one cares if some one cops of feel.
Of course, she also likes to claim some kind of moral high ground so it makes her look even more stupid with hypocrisy.
People who defend those who stormed the Capitol building on J6 and smeared human fecal matter on statues of our Founding Fathers don’t get to act all offended when some twink has consenting adult sex in a hearing room.
I am a student of Walt Whitman and I believe that everyone contains multitudes and that holds for the US of A as a nation as well.
The Senate is one of the main societal organs in the body politick. As Pelosi says, it’s a temple to the Spirit of Freedom. It has been hallowed and desecrated many times already.
The word I am still chewing on after Chanukkah this year is: rededication. After Antiochus IV, the self proclaimed God-King, had his troops slaughter pigs in the temple, how did the Maccabees respond? Where did it get them?
For those of us who want more austerity and intentionality from our political leaders, the self-styled “Elect,” we have to make our peace with what has been done and give our support to the real politicians in DC. The Fed is only able to achieve big government programs, when people believe in it at least as much as they do the Bank or the Grocery.
There will always be a circus component in human politics. The saving grace of representative democracy is it doesn’t have to be me!
If your employees are having sex at the office, yeah — that’s something you should know about. From what I’ve read elsewhere, the staffer’s conduct was already a topic of concern in the office. Maybe they were keeping it from the old man, given that he needed to focus declining mental faculties on a job that’s beyond the ability of any 80-year-old to accomplish acceptably well.
I guess the aspiring twink politician has a promising future in porn. That seems to be his heart’s desire anyway, and the internet never forgets.
@still_onthemark
Whataboutism. I’ve never voted for the 77-year-old, nor do I think he is of sound mind. He’s utterly crazy.
The issue of people way too old to be senators, representatives, judges, and presidents is bigger than Trump vs Biden. But Biden is currently the face of it.
It is a stupid take. Especially when you consider the stupid actions of actual elected congresspeople. One of your stupid representatives showed revenge porn in a hearing, and they regularly lie. And you claim it’s because of Cardin’s age?
Your representative in Congress is whomever voters in your district elected, whether you voted for him or not. Did you not take American Government in high school?
And MTG is from Georgia, not Tennessee. Maybe you skipped geography also? Do you live nextdoor to your buddy abfab, “close to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans”?
“declining mental faculties on a job that’s beyond the ability of any 80-year-old to accomplish acceptably well.”
Tell us, oh wise one, where did you get your various PhD’s in Neurological research and Gerontology?
My cousin was writing and lecturing well into his 80’s on religion and politics from a Jewish perspective in the US, and was lucid until his death at 96.
Certainly the cognitive abilities of older people vary wildly, but the right wing narrative that Biden is “senile”, while Trump retains his intellect (though truth be told he was never particularly smart) is ludicrous (and you don’t claim that specific belief here, but it is implied). As ludicrous as the notion that Carden displays senility because he was not actively spying on his staff throughout the day! Perhaps you need to have a neurological examination.
80 and 90-year-olds should lecture, teach, and write to their hearts’ content. They should not, however, be part of the mechanisms of US government.
You can stop bringing up Trump, because I’ve already said what I think of his intellect. The polls say many other Democrats agree with me on Biden’s capacity, too. So many, in fact, that it’s seriously questionable whether Democrats will retain the White House.
Here’s a quick analogy, and you can take it or leave it. My opthalmologist practiced well into his 80’s and taught classes at the University of Tennessee. But the first time I saw his hands trembling — at least 10 years before he retired — I found another doctor my own age. Teaching, yes, go for it. Treating patients, no.
Here’s a quick comment Fred. You’re a self-loathing homophobic queen who will sell out people like you in the hope that someone will give you the love your father didn’t.
Oh, so you subscribe to Christian psychology? Gays are the way they are because of bad relationships with their fathers. Who is really homophobic here?
The guy’s name has been widely distributed, so the damage is done. How he could have done something this stupid and irresponsible is hardly the point here. It’s just so f**ked up and has derailed what might have been a promising professional future at the beginning of his career. Where TF do you go with this story following you for the rest of your life? Not far, I fear.
All I can say is, so what? If people made this big of a stink about important things, maybe our nation wouldn’t be fighting the MAGAs for our democracy.
I’ll try to be nice because I know that the twinkie moron reads Queerty but…
Why isn’t there more outrage from gays over his use of the gay card? His since-deleted post claimed that he was being victimized for “who [he] loved.” As far as I can tell, not one person in Congress — not even the homophobic ones — has said that this was gay-related.
First George Santos, now this. Gays are looking pretty bad in politics right now. Even the overachieving straitlaced Pete Buttigieg can’t repair the damage done by those two morons.
Speaking of Santos, I had wondered how ultrahomophobic Mike Johnson would handle him. In the end, the Speaker let politics outweigh his principles and refrained from condemning Santos.
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ShaverC
Imagine the story if this had happened on the Republican side? Biden’s America!
still_onthemark
OK, I’ve been trying to imagine it. How exactly do you think it would be different if his boss had been a Republican senator? Would the senator say something like “Gay men are all perverts and of course, I’ll make sure never to hire another one!” Would that make you happy?
Kangol2
The Republican frontrunner is a self-admitted and convicted sexual assaulter! GQP America!
ZzBomb
Imagine? That’s already happened or have you already forgotten the “grab her by the pu$$y” video?
At least the staffer was consenting! LOL
dbmcvey
It would have been different because Republicans are anti-gay.
Really Shaver, you need to up your game. These are just silly apples and oranges comments. Really stupid.
Den
“Imagine the story if this had happened on the Republican side? Biden’s America!”
Since you probably get your news entirely from OAN, Newsmax and RightSide Broadcasting (maybe the Daily Storm for “opinion”) you would have seen not a word about it had it been glossed over as much as possible. “Biden’s America” my ass! Democrats don’t have colt leader who leads us to dream about the taste of their shit. That is on your side, and only on your side.
List any Republican legislation that rises to the level of importance of:
The Pact Act,
The Inflation Reduction Act,
The Chips Act,
The American Rescue Plan,
The infrastructure act…
In fact, name any republican attempts to address real American problems and issues.
Name any actual allegations against Biden that rise to the level of factual support of the indictments against Trump.
And if you actually believe Biden’s America is inferior to Trumps failed administration, Site real statistics to support it.
CaptainChaos
Shaver, explain to all of us what the EFF Biden has to do with this?!? Are you REALLY so depraved, petty, divisive and small minded that you have to make EVERYTHING political?? This incident is nothing more than a young, dumb, unprofessional, numbskull doing something terminable where he rightfully lost his job. As an older Independent who’s voted both sides of the aisle, I can’t tell you how tedious and useless I find comments like yours. They do NOTHING to restore American unity, and further the destructive garbage tearing our great nation apart. If today’s comment is indicative of your best ‘insight’, it’s time for you to pack it in and permanently take up residence under a rock. At the very least, stay silent tell you have something to offer up that makes sense to those of us with a higher IQ.
Baron Wiseman
@CaptainChaos
“They do NOTHING to restore American unity, and further the destructive garbage tearing our great nation apart.”
You then proceed to call Shaver, “depraved, petty, divisive and small minded” and “how tedious and useless I find comments like yours,” etc, etc.
Your lack of self-awareness is ASTOUNDING.
dbmcvey
Who cares baron, you’re a homophobe.
Mister P
The only reason Borbert’s theater story got any traction is because she was disruptive to the actors and audience of a performance. No one cares if some one cops of feel.
Of course, she also likes to claim some kind of moral high ground so it makes her look even more stupid with hypocrisy.
ZzBomb
New Rule:
People who defend those who stormed the Capitol building on J6 and smeared human fecal matter on statues of our Founding Fathers don’t get to act all offended when some twink has consenting adult sex in a hearing room.
basils_Herald
I am a student of Walt Whitman and I believe that everyone contains multitudes and that holds for the US of A as a nation as well.
The Senate is one of the main societal organs in the body politick. As Pelosi says, it’s a temple to the Spirit of Freedom. It has been hallowed and desecrated many times already.
The word I am still chewing on after Chanukkah this year is: rededication. After Antiochus IV, the self proclaimed God-King, had his troops slaughter pigs in the temple, how did the Maccabees respond? Where did it get them?
For those of us who want more austerity and intentionality from our political leaders, the self-styled “Elect,” we have to make our peace with what has been done and give our support to the real politicians in DC. The Fed is only able to achieve big government programs, when people believe in it at least as much as they do the Bank or the Grocery.
There will always be a circus component in human politics. The saving grace of representative democracy is it doesn’t have to be me!
FreddieW
Another 80-year-old leader in the US government without a clue of what’s happening, even right under his nose.
ZzBomb
B/c an employer needs to know about what is happening at every waking moment of their employee’s life?
You’re right tho, someone needs to get a clue.
FreddieW
If your employees are having sex at the office, yeah — that’s something you should know about. From what I’ve read elsewhere, the staffer’s conduct was already a topic of concern in the office. Maybe they were keeping it from the old man, given that he needed to focus declining mental faculties on a job that’s beyond the ability of any 80-year-old to accomplish acceptably well.
I guess the aspiring twink politician has a promising future in porn. That seems to be his heart’s desire anyway, and the internet never forgets.
ZzBomb
LOL
Again for the kids in the back:
B/c an employer needs to know about what is happening at every waking moment of their employee’s life?
You’re right tho, someone needs to get a clue.
still_onthemark
Yes – if only Sen. Cardin were “only” 77 years old and morbidly obese with glaringly obvious cognitive decline. THAT would be fine, right?
dbmcvey
And here’s Freddie with a really stupid take.
FreddieW
@still_onthemark
Whataboutism. I’ve never voted for the 77-year-old, nor do I think he is of sound mind. He’s utterly crazy.
The issue of people way too old to be senators, representatives, judges, and presidents is bigger than Trump vs Biden. But Biden is currently the face of it.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey
It isn’t a stupid take. I can’t make it past the phrase “80-year-old Senator”.
dbmcvey
It is a stupid take. Especially when you consider the stupid actions of actual elected congresspeople. One of your stupid representatives showed revenge porn in a hearing, and they regularly lie. And you claim it’s because of Cardin’s age?
What an idiot.
dbmcvey
Also, I don’t believe for a second you didn’t vote for Trump.
FreddieW
My representative is David Kustoff, and he’s an extremist. But I don’t know about him showing revenge porn. I think he’s smarter than that.
You’re too dumb for me to try convincing you I don’t lie, so I’m not going to bother again.
dbmcvey
Marge Greene showed revenge porn. But really? You voted for an extremist? How stupid are you?
FreddieW
Your representative in Congress is whomever voters in your district elected, whether you voted for him or not. Did you not take American Government in high school?
FreddieW
And MTG is from Georgia, not Tennessee. Maybe you skipped geography also? Do you live nextdoor to your buddy abfab, “close to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans”?
Den
“declining mental faculties on a job that’s beyond the ability of any 80-year-old to accomplish acceptably well.”
Tell us, oh wise one, where did you get your various PhD’s in Neurological research and Gerontology?
My cousin was writing and lecturing well into his 80’s on religion and politics from a Jewish perspective in the US, and was lucid until his death at 96.
Certainly the cognitive abilities of older people vary wildly, but the right wing narrative that Biden is “senile”, while Trump retains his intellect (though truth be told he was never particularly smart) is ludicrous (and you don’t claim that specific belief here, but it is implied). As ludicrous as the notion that Carden displays senility because he was not actively spying on his staff throughout the day! Perhaps you need to have a neurological examination.
FreddieW
80 and 90-year-olds should lecture, teach, and write to their hearts’ content. They should not, however, be part of the mechanisms of US government.
You can stop bringing up Trump, because I’ve already said what I think of his intellect. The polls say many other Democrats agree with me on Biden’s capacity, too. So many, in fact, that it’s seriously questionable whether Democrats will retain the White House.
FreddieW
Here’s a quick analogy, and you can take it or leave it. My opthalmologist practiced well into his 80’s and taught classes at the University of Tennessee. But the first time I saw his hands trembling — at least 10 years before he retired — I found another doctor my own age. Teaching, yes, go for it. Treating patients, no.
dbmcvey
Here’s a quick comment Fred. You’re a self-loathing homophobic queen who will sell out people like you in the hope that someone will give you the love your father didn’t.
FreddieW
Oh, so you subscribe to Christian psychology? Gays are the way they are because of bad relationships with their fathers. Who is really homophobic here?
dbmcvey
I’ve never said anything like that Fred.
I’m sure you being a self loathing homophobe has nothing to do with your father not loving you.
dbmcvey
I don’t think it’s “tragic.” Stupid? Sure. A distraction? absolutely. Tragic? Not even close.
FreddieW
24-year-old derails career with social media account sounds tragic to me.
dbmcvey
24 year old did something stupid. He’ll recover. Not tragic.
You, on the other hand, are a self-loathing homophobe who will die alone.
That’s tragic (if you weren’t so destructive towards others like you)/
FreddieW
So you practice fortune telling, too? Give me the full list of your stupidities. It isn’t possible that I can think less of you.
dbmcvey
Fred. You’re desperate and sad. Take a break.
Tad
The guy’s name has been widely distributed, so the damage is done. How he could have done something this stupid and irresponsible is hardly the point here. It’s just so f**ked up and has derailed what might have been a promising professional future at the beginning of his career. Where TF do you go with this story following you for the rest of your life? Not far, I fear.
dbmcvey
He’ll recover.
Assuming the right wing doesn’t become a full-on NAZI regime.
Vote blue.
strap2900
All I can say is, so what? If people made this big of a stink about important things, maybe our nation wouldn’t be fighting the MAGAs for our democracy.
johncp56
If it were str8 sex would we hear a peep, those morons do worse on the house floor, everyone spazing out over this
RyanMBecker
I’ll try to be nice because I know that the twinkie moron reads Queerty but…
Why isn’t there more outrage from gays over his use of the gay card? His since-deleted post claimed that he was being victimized for “who [he] loved.” As far as I can tell, not one person in Congress — not even the homophobic ones — has said that this was gay-related.
First George Santos, now this. Gays are looking pretty bad in politics right now. Even the overachieving straitlaced Pete Buttigieg can’t repair the damage done by those two morons.
Speaking of Santos, I had wondered how ultrahomophobic Mike Johnson would handle him. In the end, the Speaker let politics outweigh his principles and refrained from condemning Santos.