Investigation clears Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters of sexual harassment claims

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The Florida Republican Party hired a law firm that conducted a three-month investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving party chairman Joe Gruters, but could not substantiate the allegations and no accusers with direct knowledge was unwilling to come forward, the party said in a statement Tuesday evening.

Gruters, a senator from the state of Sarasota and a powerful ally of former President Donald Trump, has led the state party since 2019 and was elected this year to a second two-year term as president.

The Florida Politics website first reported on the investigation.

Politico Florida said the allegations stemmed from an incident during this year’s legislative session.

Politico reported that a male assistant offered to bring Gruters home after a night out at a Tallahassee bar and that at one point Gruters allegedly sexually harassed the assistant.

The RPOF has a zero tolerance policy towards harassment of any kind, the party said. Any information or complaint that RPOF receives regarding harassment against its employees or members is taken very seriously and carefully reviewed in accordance with RPOF’s internal HR (human resources) policies and all applicable laws and regulations.

The party said in its statement that the RPOF was not involved in the investigation, did not run the law firm, or limit the law firm in any way in its investigation.

In recent years, the Florida Senate has had high profile allegations of sexual misconduct against its members.

Senator Jack Latvala, a powerful Republican from Clearwater, resigned in late 2017 following a report revealing evidence of sexual misconduct.

Senator Jeff Clemens, who was on his way to becoming the Democratic Leader of the Senate, resigned in October 2017 after admitting to having an extramarital affair with a lobbyist.

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