Ohio AG called on to step down (OneNewsNow.com)

Ohio AG called on to step down

Jeff Johnson - OneNewsNow - 5/5/2008 8:00:00 AM

A former colleague of Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann is expressing shock at the Democrat's admission of an extramarital affair with an employee.

Phil Burress, president of Cincinnati-based Citizens for Community Values, who worked with Dann some during his time in the Ohio Senate, says he is shocked by the admission. "And shocked, again, you know, that he would not step down from his office," Burress says. "I thought it was a given that he would do that because if a man is going to cheat on his wife, he can't be trusted with anything."

Dann's former scheduler resigned after an investigation revealed that she had spent the night at an apartment Dann shared with two male employees. Both of those employees were fired when the results of that investigation were released Friday. (See earlier story)
Ohio
"I'm embarrassed. I have taken responsibility for what I've done," Dann told reporters. "I did not create an atmosphere in my public and personal life that is consistent with the important mission of the Office of Attorney General," he continued. "I am heartbroken by my failure to recognize the problems being created and by my failure to stop them."

But Dann promised he would not resign as a result of the affair. Burress says it is bad enough that Dann cheated on his wife -- but the fact that he had an affair with a subordinate and then fired the two employees who allegedly exposed the affair makes the situation even worse.

"Well, it creates the question of whether or not, or how soon, is it going to happen again?" Burress states. "Obviously the man has a sexual addiction problem that he would go that far as to cheat on his wife, not only cheat but to do it right there in his office.

"This is a breach of the most serious kind, when you're unfaithful to your wife," Burress concludes. "This is totally unacceptable and he must step down, and step down now."

Ohio GOP deputy chairman Kevin DeWine called for Dann's resignation, saying he turned the attorney general's office into a "raunchy frat pad." Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland said the investigation showed a "double standard" with Dann staying while some employees were let go.