With allegations of sexual misconduct felling Hollywood titans Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey and bedeviling other powerful figures up-to-and-including President Donald Trump, it seems clear that society is no longer willing to turn a blind eye to this sort of abuse. It’s bad news for the aforementioned transgressors, and also bad news for Florida state Senator Jack Latvala, who’s become embroiled in a sex scandal of his own and—as of Monday—is removed from a key Senate chairmanship.
Latvala, who hails from Clearwater, previously served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Following harassment claims from six women, the Senator sent Senate President Joe Negron a letter Monday asking to be relieved from the chair.
“I understand that you are in the process of hiring an independent, third party to conduct an investigation regarding the anonymous allegations made against me in a recent news article,” read Latvala’s letter. “I am requesting that you permit me to temporarily take a leave of absence from my role as Chair of the Committee on Appropriations until this matter is resolved. I look forward to defending myself against these untruthful allegations and believe I will be fully exonerated.”
Justice was swift and the request granted.
