Florida Senate agrees to pay aide $900k in sex scandal

Source: Associated Press

Updated 5:40 pm CST, Thursday, January 3, 2019


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Senate is paying $900,000 to settle a complaint with a legislative aide who accused a former Republican senator of sexual misconduct.

The settlement between Rachel Perrin Rogers and the Senate was reached last month. Under the terms of the settlement, Rogers agreed to resign Jan. 4.

Rogers was an aide to Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson. In 2017, she accused former State Sen. Jack Latvala of misconduct, including that he inappropriately touched her. She said Latvala would comment on her appearance by saying she looked "hot" and would stare at her chest as she tried to talk about legislative issues with him.

Latvala abruptly resigned from the Senate in early 2018. Rogers filed a complaint that said the Senate retaliated against her after she filed the initial complaint.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Florida-Senate-agrees-to-pay-aide-900k-in-sex-13507039.php