TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Two South Florida lawmakers have admitted their "longtime friendship evolved to a level [they] deeply regret" after a website surfaced alleging an extramarital relationship between the two.
On Tuesday, President Pro Temp Anitere Flores (R) and Minority Leader Oscar Braynon (D) set to dispel rumors after the allegations emerged.
"As this 2018 session of the Florida Legislature gets underway, we do not want gossip and rumors to distract from the important business of the people," the senators wrote in a joint statement on Tuesday. "That's why we are issuing this brief statement to acknowledge that our longtime friendship evolved to a level that we deeply regret."
According to floresbraynonaffair.com, Flores stayed over at Braynon's Tallahassee apartment for four nights straight back in April 2017.
The author claims their collection of video footage and images shows Flores entering and exiting Braynon's apartment, a behavior the author believes in consistent with a relationship. The website also features a detailed description of a surveillance operation, complete with pictures and diagrams.
Flores, a Miami legislator, is one of the Florida Senate's most powerful Republicans and Braynon, a Miami Gardens legislator, is the chamber’s highest-ranking Democrat.
"We have sought the forgiveness of our families, and also seek the forgiveness of our constituents and God. We ask everyone else to respect and provide our families the privacy that they deserve as we move past this to focus on the important work ahead," the joint statement said.
Tuesday marked the first day of the legislative session in Tallahassee.
