Ohio state Representative Wes Goodman,
a Republican opposed to marriage equality, abruptly resigned late
Tuesday, several weeks after he allegedly had sex with another man in
his office.
According to The
Columbus Dispatch, the incident occurred weeks ago, but House
Chief of Staff Mike Dittoe was made aware of the situation by a
non-staffer on Tuesday. House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, a
Republican from Clarksville who met with Goodman, said in a statement
that Goodman had “acknowledged and confirmed the allegations,”
which Rosenberger described as “inappropriate behavior related to
[Goodman's] state office.”
“It became clear that his resignation
was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the
constituents of the 87th House District and this
institution,” Rosenberger said.
The 33-year-old Goodman is married to
Bethany Goodman, an assistant director at the March for Life. On his
campaign website, Goodman said that he favors “natural marriage.”
On Twitter, Goodman described himself as “Christian. American.
Conservative. Republican.” In the House, Goodman worked on
legislation aimed at blocking Medicaid expansion in Ohio.
In a statement, Goodman expressed
regret.
"We all bring our own struggles
and our own trials into public life. That has been true for me, and I
sincerely regret that my actions and choices have kept me from
serving my constituents and our state in a way that reflects the best
ideals of public service," he said. "For those whom I have
let down, I’m sorry. As I move onto the next chapter of my life, I
sincerely ask for privacy for myself, my family, and my friends.”
On Top can confirm that Goodman
has scrubbed his online presence. His campaign website has been
deleted, his Twitter (@WesleyGoodman) and Instagram (@WesleyGoodman1)
accounts are no longer public, and his Facebook page has been
deleted. His official Ohio
House webpage comes up with an error message.