DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Tom Wright, a Republican member of the Florida state Senate, has been accused of coming on to a domestic violence victim as she fled Hurricane Irma six years ago according to a new report from the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
The allegations, if true, provide context to why Wright was banned from the Beacon Center domestic violence shelter in Daytona Beach by former CEO Angie Pye. Wright was seen on tape in a seemingly heated conversation with a Beacon Center employee in which he placed his hand on them, bringing the initial attention to the incident.
According to the report from the News-Journal's Mark Harper, the victim Wright spoke to was told of Cuban prostitutes, topless boat parties, and being flown out to Las Vegas. She said she wasn't as repulsed then as she is now, and called Wright a 'creep' in that quote. She was traveling with her baby.
The vitriol between the Beacon Center and Wright has not been a one-way street thus far. Wright was once a volunteer and later board member for the shelter, before Pye alleged his improper behavior around victims, which she has called 'grooming', a harsh term in the modern Floridian political climate. Wright has in turn accused Pye and the shelter of fostering such behaviors as drug use, prostitution, and human trafficking.
The alleged conduct between Wright and the victim would've occurred in 2017, the year before Wright was elected to the Florida state Senate. He was re-elected to his seat in 2022, dispatching his Democratic opponent with ease. He represents most of Volusia County and part of Brevard County.
State Senator Wright's office has been contacted for comment, and anything they may add will be included in this or a future story.
