NewsTreasure CoastRegion Martin CountyStuart

Actions

Protesters gather outside Rep. Brian Mast's office, calling for his resignation

'He has a daughter (who) will be 15 one day,' protester says
Posted at 6:47 PM, Aug 29, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-29 21:54:17-04

STUART, Fla. — Protesters gathered outside of U.S. Rep. Brian Mast's office in Stuart on Saturday, demanding that he resign for making comments on Facebook that he later called disgusting jokes.

Some of the protesters said they accept Mast's apology but that he does not deserve to represent women, children and respectable women on Capitol Hill.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH REP. BRIAN MAST:

INTERVIEW: U.S. Rep. Brian Mast apologizes for 'vile' and 'disgusting' remarks (5 minutes)

The comments, made on Facebook posts from 2009 and 2011, include jokes about rape and about his friend possibly having sex with 15-year-old girls.

That friend is now Mast's campaign manager.

Protesters said those comments are unacceptable.

"He has a daughter (who) will be 15 one day," constituent Lucy Angelo-Walker said. "And I would hate to think that there was someone out there (who) was given advice like he gave to a friend who would then be a predator in the situation that his daughter is in."

There was an altercation at Saturday's protest.

One gentleman confronted the group and spat on a protester's sign.

Stuart police were called to the protest, but no one was hurt.