Sen. Marco Rubio fires chief of staff amid reports of “improper conduct”

As reports of sexual misconduct continue to rock Washington, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has fired his chief of staff over allegations of “improper conduct.”

In a statement released Saturday, the Florida senator said he terminated his chief of staff, Clint Reed, after concluding he “had violated office policies regarding proper relations between a supervisor and their subordinates” in his current position.

Rubio said in the statement that he was first made aware of the allegations Saturday afternoon and began an investigation with his general counsel. The investigation, the statement noted, further revealed that Reed’s actions “amounted to threats to withhold employment benefits.”

No further details regarding the specific allegations will be released, in accordance with the victim’s wishes, and the statement noted that Rubio’s office has “taken steps to ensure that those impacted by this conduct have access to any services they may require now or in the future.”

According to the Miami Herald, Reed has served as Rubio’s chief of staff since January 2017, after previously managing his 2016 Senate campaign. Reed also worked on Rubio’s presidential campaign during the 2016 primaries as a senior adviser and Iowa State director, and he previously held positions with the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Though the specifics of Reed’s termination remain unclear, the announcement comes as Washington has taken steps to crack down on allegations of sexual misconduct, which have been leveled against such politicians as Sen. Al Franken, Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Patrick Meehan. Congress passed legislation mandating sexual harassment training for lawmakers and their staffs in November, and female lawmakers have introduced the ME TOO Congress Act, which would overhaul sexual harassment policies and complaint processes on Capitol Hill.