When a state Attorney General runs his office like “the fraternity house in Animal House,” it’s time for him to go. It’s great to see Ohio Dems act so quickly and with such unanimity on this.
Risking impeachment, Ohio’s attorney general on Monday refused demands from the governor and other fellow Democrats that he resign over a sexual harassment scandal in his office and an affair with a subordinate.
Gov. Ted Strickland told reporters that Democrats will begin drafting an impeachment resolution against Attorney General Marc Dann right away. Republican House Speaker Jon Husted said Monday that his chamber — which takes the first step in any impeachment — was already reviewing the process.
Virtually every state-level Democratic officeholder urged Dann to resign in a letter late Sunday after Strickland tried twice during the day to persuade him to leave office.
A sexual harassment investigation uncovered an atmosphere in Dann’s office rife with inappropriate staff-subordinate relationships, heavy drinking and harassing and threatening behavior by a supervisor. On Friday, Dann admitted to an extramarital affair with a subordinate after the investigation threatened to reveal the relationship.
An extramarital affair with an employee is certainly a problem, but hardly the kind of controversy that would spark talk of resignations and impeachment. Dann’s scandal, however, goes considerably further.
Dann had previously conceded that his own behavior contributed to an atmosphere in the office that permitted two junior staffers to be harassed and threatened by Anthony Gutierrez, a friend he hired as an aide. […]
Gutierrez was fired Friday after an internal investigation found his treatment of two 26-year-old employees violated sexual harassment policy. Communications Director Leo Jennings, who was accused of asking a co-worker to lie under oath, also was fired. Ed Simpson, Dann’s policy chief, resigned; investigators said he failed to address inappropriate behavior in the office. […]
Dann’s scheduler, Jessica Utovich, 28, resigned last week without explanation. In his testimony during the investigation, Dann said Utovich sometimes spent the night at his apartment but declined to talk about his relationship with her specifically.
Sometimes, after someone is in office for a very long time, he or she starts to feel a sense of entitlement. These people no longer concern themselves with propriety because the power has corrupted their judgment.
But Dann just took office in 2006. He didn’t have time to let his office destroy his sense of right or wrong — Dann took his oath last year.
As for Dann’s party affiliation, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said the party voted over the weekend to rescind its endorsement of Dann and decided he would no longer receive any party resources or support. Redfern added that Dann is now “essentially an independent.”
Gov. Strickland added, “I think it’s important for Democrats to send a very clear message that we will clean our own house.”
Good for them. When Ohio Republicans’ scandals dominated state government a few years ago, the GOP tried to sweep the controversies under the rug, and defend those who’d committed crimes. It looks like Dems have learned quite well how not to follow Republicans’ example.