U.S. Capitol Police announced on Thursday the conclusion of their investigation into a s*x tape recorded in a Capitol Hill hearing room, opting not to pursue charges, citing the lack of evidence of a crime.
The incident involved a video, portions of which were published by The Daily Caller in December, depicting two men engaged in s*xual activity on what appeared to be the dais of a hearing room in the Hart Senate Office Building.
The Capitol Police, in a statement, indicated that despite the likely violation of congressional policy, a comprehensive investigation and consultation with federal and local prosecutors yielded insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
The incident occurred on the morning of December 13, with one of the individuals identified as a former staffer for Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat. Following the revelation, Cardin’s office confirmed the Capitol Police investigation and stated that the U.S. Senate no longer employed the involved staffer.
The police clarified that the hearing room was not open to the public when the video was recorded, but the congressional staffer implicated had access.
However, the former staffer declined to cooperate with the investigation. Capitol Police noted that the two individuals of interest were uncooperative, and the criteria for potential criminal charges were unmet. The congressional staffer, who has since resigned, invoked the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.
Capitol Police expressed a willingness to reconsider the case if new evidence emerged, emphasizing the lack of cooperation from the former staffer and the failure to establish elements of potential criminal conduct.
Sen. Cardin, reacting to the incident in December, expressed anger and disappointment, characterizing it as a breach of trust and acknowledging the ensuing frustration and anger it generated.