Spokesman for Ohio justice who bragged about sexual history resigns

The spokesperson for the gubernatorial campaign of Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O’Neill resigned on Friday after the judge published a Facebook post bragging about his sexual history. 

Chris Clevenger, the spokesman for the campaign, told WSAZ.com said he called O’Neill and stepped down after seeing the controversial post where O’Neill claims to have been “sexually intimate” with more than 50 “very attractive” women. 

“Now that the dogs of war are calling for the head of Senator Al Franken I believe it is time to speak up on behalf of all heterosexual males,” O’Neill wrote, referring to the sexual assault allegations against Franken (D-Minn.).

{mosads}

Clevenger called the post “disturbing and misguided.”  

“Sexual harassment and assault is no laughing matter. The next Governor of Ohio must take it seriously to receive my vote.” Clevenger wrote on Twitter.

Sexual harassment and assault is no laughing matter. The next Governor of Ohio must take it seriously to receive my vote.

— Chris Clevenger (@ChrisEClevenger) November 17, 2017

Ohio Democratic Chairman David Pepper said that O’Neill’s remarks “dehumanize women and do nothing but trivialize this important conversation.” 

“We’re having a serious national conversation about rape culture and sexual harassment, and it’s crucial for men to take time to listen to women,” Pepper stated.

(2/2) Justice O’Neill’s Facebook comments both dehumanize women and do nothing but trivialize this important conversation, which is actually about harassment and abuse, not encounters between consenting adults. https://t.co/NmdDeWnM3g

— David Pepper (@DavidPepper) November 17, 2017

O’Neill wrote that he is “sooooo disappointed by this national feeding frenzy about sexual indiscretions decades ago,” and that Ohio now “can get back to discussing legalizing marijuana and opening the state hospital network to combat the opioid crisis.”