A state lawmaker is defending one of her staffers, who is accusing former Senator Jack Latvala of sexual harassment, sexual assault and coercion. Florida Senate employee Laura McLeod is the second woman to come forward publicly with allegations against Latvala.
Laura McLeod, a former lobbyist and now a legislative aide to Senate Democrat Lauren Book, told her account to the . She details a complicated, and at times consensual, relationship with ousted Senator Jack Latvala. She says the powerful former budget chief repeatedly groped her in his office, and pushed her into a sexual relationship in exchange for supporting her bills.
Senator Book is standing by McLeod's statements.
鈥淪ince Laura told me about some of the things, we鈥檝e had countless conversations about how we work on this culture," Book said. "And I have no doubt that there are Senators and House members and leadership that will not rest until we address that culture.鈥�
And Book is sponsoring a bill that would crack down on what she sees as a culture of harassment in the Legislature.
鈥淲e鈥檙e actively working on ways that we can ensure that things that happened, that have happened, don鈥檛 happen again," Book said. "I鈥檓 immensely proud of Laura. I think she is one of the toughest and strongest women that I鈥檝e ever had the honor and pleasure to work with.鈥�
Latvala, who is still registered as for the 2018 Governor's race, resigned in December, after spurred a . McLeod鈥檚 testimony in the probe prompted law enforcement to open a criminal inquiry.
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