Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday said he saw "no inappropriate or unusual behavior" during a fact-finding trip to Israel last August that reportedly featured one member of Congress skinny-dipping in the Sea of Galilee.
Quayle was among more than a dozen congressional leaders and staff who reportedly went for a swim at the sacred site during the trip.
"The story that was in Politico and the picture that was being really painted was not what I saw or was around," Quayle said on Fox News. "I was not around when Congressman Yoder entered the water. I was not in the water or near any of that. But I was able to go in, properly attired, since we have to say that, and swim very briefly in the Sea of Galilee. And I actually was able to take a little vial of water home to baptize my daughter with this water from the Sea of Galilee.
“I went in, got in the water, actually experienced the Sea of Galilee. I was not involved in a big group or anything that was inappropriate, and then my wife and I went back to the hotel.”
According to a report, other Republican congressmen, including Rep. Steve Southerland (Fla.), Rep. Tom Reed (N.Y.), Rep. Jeff Denham (Calif.) and Rep. Michael Grimm (N.Y.) also swam at the site where the Bible says Jesus walked on water, although Yoder is the only one said to have stripped naked.
Quayle said he was in the water no more than 30 seconds and was already back at the hotel before Yoder's skinny-dip in the holy site. The group was reportedly chastised for the swim by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who was on the trip but not present for the incident.
"Yeah, I mean, there’s a whole group," Quayle said. "It was everyone who’s on the trip. [Cantor] just said let’s refocus on what really the trip is all about."
While initial reports indicated that the FBI had investigated the incident, both Yoder and Quayle deny being questioned.
"No, and that’s the one part of the story that was really confusing because when people start talking about that and reported it, there was no questioning of me or anybody else on the trip and so that’s what I think is a little confusing, and a lot of people are starting to see that that is getting debunked," Quayle said. "I think that’s one of the areas where the story is completely wrong."
