A member of Congress whose district includes parts of one South Florida county is apologizing after a social media post emerged in which he joked about rape.
Rep. Brian Mast, a Republican whose district includes parts of the Treasure Coast as well as Palm Beach County, apologized after he joked about sex with teenage girls and alleged assault in a Facebook post with a friend who later became his campaign manager.
"A decade ago when I was in the Army, and following my injury, I made disgusting and inappropriate jokes that I am embarrassed to have associated with my name today," Mast said in a statement to NBC affiliate WPTV-TV. "I am sorry about that part of who I was, and I strive every day to be a better example for my kids."
Mast, who lost both his legs and a finger during an explosion in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan, recently won the GOP primary and will face Democratic opponent Pam Keith this November.
Keith, who was a lawyer for the U.S. Navy, called the comments “disgusting, unacceptable and dishonorable.”
A commissioner from Palm Beach County tweeted that Mast should resign.
“Not. Cool. Downright awful, actually,” Commissioner Melissa McKinlay wrote. “No apology can ever suffice for these comments.”
