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Republican Ohio state legislator Wes Goodman describes himself on his Twitter bio as "Christian. American. Conservative. Republican." The self-described “family values” conservative with a history of anti-LGBTQ stances has resigned after admitting he engaged in sex with a man in his Ohio office. From The Columbus Dispatch:
State Rep. Wes Goodman, who consistently touted his faith and conservative values, abruptly resigned late Tuesday after being confronted with evidence of inappropriate conduct with another man inside his Riffe Center office, the second Ohio lawmaker to fall within a month.House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, met Tuesday afternoon with the Cardington Republican soon after the speaker became aware of an incident from weeks ago in the lawmaker’s office that, sources said, involved a male in a consensual situation.
Apparently someone witnessed the affair, and Republicans wasted no time demanding his resignation:
No harassment complaint, sexual or otherwise, was filed against Goodman. But someone, reportedly not a staffer, who knew of or witnessed the incident informed House Chief of Staff Mike Dittoe of the situation early Tuesday afternoon.“I was alerted to details yesterday afternoon regarding his involvement in inappropriate behavior related to his state office,” Rosenberger said in a statement on Wednesday. “I met with him later in the day where he acknowledged and confirmed the allegations. It became clear that his resignation was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House
‘Inappropriate behavior’ with man in his office led to Ohio lawmaker’s ouster
State Rep. Wes Goodman, who consistently touted his faith and conservative values, abruptly resigned late Tuesday after being confronted with evidence of inappropriate conduct with another man inside his Riffe Center office, the second Ohio lawmaker to fall within a month.
House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, met Tuesday afternoon with the Cardington Republican soon after the speaker became aware of an incident from weeks ago in the lawmaker’s office that, sources said, involved a male in a consensual situation.
No harassment complaint, sexual or otherwise, was filed against Goodman. But someone, reportedly not a staffer, who knew of or witnessed the incident informed House Chief of Staff Mike Dittoe of the situation early Tuesday afternoon.
“I was alerted to details yesterday afternoon regarding his involvement in inappropriate behavior related to his state office,” Rosenberger said in a statement on Wednesday. “I met with him later in the day where he acknowledged and confirmed the allegations. 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.”
The speaker’s office is not releasing additional details of the conduct, though Brad Miller, spokesman for Rosenberger, said it did not involve Statehouse staffers or other legislative members. Rumors about Goodman’s questionable conduct, including his use of social media, have been swirling at the Statehouse in the past few weeks and include stories dating back years to when he worked in Washington. His Facebook account was taken offline.
Rosenberger and Goodman agreed, Miller said, “that it was activity unbecoming of a state representative.”
Miller said there is no video of the incident, as some have speculated.
Ohio Republican Chairman Jane Timken supported Rosenberger’s decision.
“I believe Speaker Rosenberger said it best; his resignation was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House District and the House,” she said in a statement.
Goodman, 33, who says on his campaign web site that “healthy, vibrant, thriving, values-driven families are the source of Ohio’s proud history,” expressed regret for his actions.
“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 in a statement. “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.”
The departure of Goodman, who is married, comes less than a month after the resignation last month of Sen. Cliff Hite, R-Findlay, following a complaint of sexual harassment filed by a staffer who said he asked her repeatedly to have sex with him in his Columbus condo. On Monday, Senate Democratic Chief of Staff Mike Premo resigned following a complaint of inappropriate behavior by a staffer.
Senators underwent sexual harassment training Wednesday, said Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina, and staff will follow in the coming weeks. House members and staff are expected to do the same in the near future.
“Both the House and the Senate are sending a pretty clear message that inappropriate behavior won’t be tolerated,” Obhof said. “If you engage in that, there will be swift action and it will be decisive.”
Goodman submitted a brief two-sentence resignation letter, calling it the “greatest honor of my life to serve the constituents of the 87th House District.”
On his Twitter page, Goodman described himself as “Christian. American. Conservative. Republican.”
Previously, Goodman was an aide to U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, developing “pro-family and pro-liberty” policies. Later he served as managing director for the Conservative Action Project, where he says he “led the fight for conservative principles like a balanced budget, lower taxes, repealing Obamacare, life, and religious liberty...”
Jordan endorsed Goodman in 2016, saying he had “the character, experience and passion to serve the families and taxpayers of our part of Ohio in the Statehouse.”
A Jordan spokeswoman said he heard “no allegations of wrongdoing and received no accusations of misconduct” during Goodman’s nearly six years working for him.
“Congressman Jordan is deeply disappointed by this troubling news, and believes Mr. Goodman’s resignation was the best course of action,” said spokeswoman Melika Willoughby.
A Republican with close ties to the conservative movement, speaking about politically sensitive matters only on the condition of not being named, said reports about inappropriate behavior surfaced after Goodman returned to Ohio in 2015.
Goodman declared himself “proud” to carry on the tradition of the Caveman Caucus, the colorful moniker attached to a group of highly conservative lawmakers several years ago. He was co-sponsor of the Ohio Campus Free Speech Act, and worked on issues including the Medicaid expansion freeze.
Earlier this year, Goodman stood in for state Treasurer Josh Mandel’s U.S. Senate campaign.
Like the situation involving Premo earlier in the week, legislative leaders did not give any indication what type of activity prompted Goodman’s dismissal.
Asked if the public should know what a Statehouse official has done, beyond a generic “inappropriate behavior,” Obhof said, “in general, more sunlight is better.”
In Premo’s case, Republican leaders say they don’t even know what happened, and Obhof is not happy about it.
Democrats, citing attorney-client privilege, would not disclose to Obhof or Jason Mauk, his chief of staff, who made the complaint and what it was about.
Asked if there was discomfort with not knowing what happened, Obhof said, “there is, and we are looking into it to the extent that we are able to.”
Obhof is expected to send a letter soon to Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, saying that he would like the opportunity to talk to the woman who made the complaint. There also is concern that Mauk, who is responsible for the employment of all Senate staff, had to accept Premo’s resignation without really knowing why.
“I will know more at some point, I hope,” Obhof said.
Mike Rowe, spokesman for Yuko, said the staff brought the complaint about Premo to Bethany Sanders, the caucus legal counsel, with the understanding that the woman’s name would not be disclosed, and only certain information would be shared. That information was shared with Yuko and to the Republican legal counsel.
“We appreciate that they have respected the privacy of the staff that came forward,” Rowe said.
Dispatch Washington bureau reporter Jessica Wehrman contributed to this story.
- Republican Ohio state representative Wes Goodman stepped down Wednesday
- He resigned after allegations surfaced of inappropriate behavior with another man in his state-funded office
- The 33-year-old ran on a Conservative Christian platform and believes marriage should be between one man and one woman
- No harassment complaints have been filed and it was said to be consensual
- A conservative journalist alleged on Twitter that Goodman would solicit him for threesomes that included him and his wife
- Three others have said Goodman sent lewd text messages to younger men when he worked on Capitol Hill
- Goodman was also known to have had sex with men he met on Craigslist, it is claimed
A married Ohio state lawmaker who has said he believes in a 'natural marriage' between a man and a woman allegedly sent salacious and lewd text messages to gay men, propositioned other young men for sex when he worked in Washington, DC, and tried to convince a fellow conservative to join him and his wife for threesomes.
Republican state Representative Wes Goodman, who resigned Wednesday amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with another man in his office, led a double life, it is claimed.
'Wes Goodman, who was just caught having sex with a man in his office, begged me to have sex with him and/or his wife on several occasions while I went to school in Ohio,' Caleb Hull, a conservative journalist, alleged on his Twitter account on Saturday.
In public, he was a family values conservative - a far cry from the behavior he allegedly displayed in private, according to Cleveland.com.
The website interviewed three people who say they knew Goodman during the time he worked in the capital.
Before being elected to the Ohio state legislature to represent Cardington, Goodman worked in Washington as an aide to Rep. Jim Jordan, one of the most conservative politicians in the country.
Goodman also worked for the Conservative Action Project, an organization made up of economic, social and national security conservatives.
'Wes Goodman, who was just caught having sex with a man in his office, begged me to have sex with him and/or his wife (Bethany Goodman, seen right) on several occasions while I went to school in Ohio,' Caleb Hull (left), a conservative journalist, alleged on his Twitter account on Saturday
He served as managing director of the organization, leading 'the fight for conservative principles like balanced budget, lower taxes, repealing Obamacare, life, and religious liberty,' his site says.
His website also clearly outlines his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman, and he has relied on these conservative values to bolster his political message and relate to voters.
'The ideals of a loving father and mother, a committed natural marriage, and a caring community are well worth pursuing and protecting,' the site says.
Cleveland.com spoke to Johnny Hadlock, who was working as an aide to another Republican congressman on Capitol Hill.
Hadlock said he met Goodman in 2010.
During their conversations, Hadlock revealed to Goodman that he was a closeted homosexual,.
He told Cleveland.com that soon afterward he and Goodman began exchanging explicit text messages that included sexting and gay banter.
Their conversations even escalated to phone sex, according to Hadlock.
Throughout their relationship, Hadlock insisted Goodman did nothing inappropriate.
'Wes never sexually harassed me - we both knew what we were doing and we were both fine doing it,' Hadlock said.
An anonymous individual who describes himself as a 'conservative with ties to Ohio' alleged that Goodman engaged in predatory behavior toward younger men after he finished working for Ohio Rep Jim Jordan (above) in Washington, DC
In 2012, Hadlock went to work for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. He says he is currently employed at a Washington, DC non-profit organization.
Hadlock and Goodman last communicated with each other in 2014.
In Facebook chats, Goodman would allegedly reveal to Hadlock that he was in his underwear and would also ask Hadlock if he was aroused.
Hadlock says the relationship never got physical.
An anonymous individual who describes himself as a 'conservative with ties to Ohio' alleged that Goodman engaged in predatory behavior toward younger men after he worked for Jordan.
He said Goodman would send lewd messages through Facebook and text in which he would proposition college-age men for sex.
This was corroborated by Hull, who tweeted: 'He did this to dozens of college political activists in Ohio that I know as well.
'He was with us at a bar during a Turning Point USA conference and left early, but forgot to pay his bill.
Goodman would allegedly send lewd messages through Facebook and text in which he would proposition college-age men for sex
'One of the people in our group texting him asking what his room number was to charge it to his room and he told him the number.
'Then my friend told him that he had charged his room.
'And then he replied with something like "oh I thought you were coming up to have some fun with me and my wife. She's asleep but I'm horny".'
Those who received Goodman's alleged messages were scared to report him for fear that it would damage career prospects.
They also viewed Goodman as a mentor-like figure who could help them find jobs after college.
A former co-worker shared screen shots of text messages allegedly sent by Goodman. He said they were similar to those that led to the demise of former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
'It was suggestive "I am here in my underwear" kinds of stuff,' the co-worker said.
Goodman was considered well-connected in conservative circles, making it that much more difficult for anyone to complain about him.
'People never really wanted to come forward against someone in power,' the anonymous individual said.
In 2015, Goodman allegedly invited the teenage son of a prominent Republican donor to his room at the Ritz Carlton hotel.
Goodman resigned Wednesday amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with another man in his office. The 33-year-old is pictured with his wife, Bethany Goodman
According to The Washington Post, Goodman allegedly unzipped the 18-year-old's pants and began to fondle him, prompting the boy to bolt from the room at about 4am.
The terrified teen told his parents, who then demanded that the head of a conservative organization which was hosting a conference at the time remove Goodman.
That led to Goodman's departure from the Council for National Policy.
Cleveland.com also quoted Chris Donnelly, who said that in 2008 he and Goodman had sex after Goodman responded to a classified ad on Craigslist.
'Maybe we can hang and see what's up, no expectations really,' Goodman's alleged response read.
'But your post seemed cool so let me know bro.'
Donnelly said that Goodman was 'all over Craigslist.'
'It became a running joke between me and my gay friends on Capitol Hill,' Donnelly said.
It was known by the small clique of gay conservatives in Washington that Goodman would allegedly often have trysts with men he met on Craigslist. He is pictured above with his wife Bethany
'It's not like it was some one-off thing.'
Both Hadlock and Donnelly said they voluntarily spoke to Cleveland.com because they were disappointed that while Goodman pursued sex with men, he was politically promoting legislation that the LGBT community had opposed.
In 2009, Goodman was a staunch supporter of Jordan's Defense of Marriage Act, which sought to overturn a local law allowing same-sex marriage.
In May 2016, Goodman won a seat in the Ohio State House of Representatives.
Though there were rumors of his secret life, top Republicans felt that without a specific allegation there wasn't any action they could take.
Hadlock said he didn't believe Goodman deserved privacy given the positions he has taken in his political career as it relates to gay rights.
'My hope for Wes is that he can now pursue an authentic life and be happy, whatever that means,' Hadlock said.
Goodman resigned his seat this week after he was caught in his government-provided office engaging in 'inappropriate behavior' with an individual who was not employed by the government.
The only existing details about the behavior are that it included a male in a consensual situation, and took place several weeks ago in his state-provided office.
No harassment complaints have been filed against the 33-year-old.
Goodman confirmed the initial allegations in a statement on Wednesday.
'We all bring our own struggles and our own trials into public life,' he said.
'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. For those whom I have let down, I'm sorry.'
Republican House Speaker Clifford Rosenberger said he learned Tuesday that Goodman had engaged in 'inappropriate behavior related to his state office.'
'I met with him later in the day where he acknowledged and confirmed the allegations,' Rosenberger said in a statement.
'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.'
A message seeking comment was left with Goodman. He has requested privacy moving forward.
While Goodman allegedly privately pursued men sexually, in public he was a staunch supporter of anti-LGBT legislation
He was the second Ohio lawmaker to resign this month for allegations of inappropriate behavior, and his is the latest to hit the state's legislature since sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced.
Those allegations prompted a national wave of similar alleged misconducts by entertainers, politicians and others.
Veteran Ohio Sen. Clifford Hite, a Republican from Findlay, resigned October 16 after a sexual harassment complaint was filed against him.
According to an investigative memo, Hite had inappropriate conversations and physical contact with a female legislative staff member for two months and repeatedly propositioned her for sex.
The Ohio House subsequently released a cache of documents requested by reporters that showed three state representatives had been disciplined and a staff aide had been fired following harassment claims in recent years.
Then on Monday, Senate Democrats' chief of staff, Michael Premo, resigned abruptly over unspecified allegations of inappropriate conduct. His single-sentence resignation email provided no details.
State Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken, the first woman to head Ohio's GOP, issued a statement Wednesday supporting Goodman's decision to step aside.
'I believe Speaker Rosenberger said it best; his resignation was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House District and the House,' she said.
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