Democratic leader quits over affair

TALLAHASSEE — The incoming leader of the Senate Democrats resigned Friday after revealing he had an affair with a lobbyist during the 2017 session.

The affair between Sen. Jeff Clemens, a Lake Worth political consultant, and former Martin County lobbyist Devon West, was first reported by Politico Florida.

West was hired by Broward County in July as a lobbyist and legislative coordinator.

“I have made mistakes I am ashamed of, and for the past six months I have been focused on becoming a better person,” Clemens said in a statement. “But it is clear to me that task is impossible to finish while in elected office . ... Though they have been aware for some time now, I apologize again to my wife, my family and anyone and everyone that I have treated poorly in the past for putting you through this in such a public way.”

Clemens, 47, acknowledged the affair Thursday.

As minority leader, Clemens led the election efforts of Senate Democrats in 2018 and won a significant victory in September, when Annette Taddeo defeated Republican state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz in the Miami district formerly held by Republican Frank Artiles.

Artiles resigned in late April after a racially tinged attack against two black legislators in a Tallahassee bar.

According to the Politico report, which relied on unnamed sources, “West came into possession of Clemens’ Apple laptop, and gained access to all his contacts and personal information and then informed his wife of the tryst.”

Efforts to reach West were unsuccessful.