Several Athens officials agree with Gov. Ted Strickland that Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann should resign following allegations of sexual harassment and cronyism.

An internal investigation found evidence of Dann’s extramarital affair with a scheduler and lackluster office management, according to the Associated Press.

Strickland and several other Ohio officials, including Sen. Sherrod Brown, sent Dann a letter Sunday asking him to resign.

Dann wrote in response that he would continue in office and that he has “rolled up my sleeves and am working on behalf of the people of the state of Ohio.”

Several local government officials said their sentiments echo Strickland’s.
“I think he absolutely should resign and I think that Democratic Party is also correct in seeking his impeachment,” said

Athens City Law Director Pat Lang.
“He’s being defiant and that’s not healthy for the state of Ohio,” said chairman of the Athens County Republicans Pete Couladis, who worked for former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro.

Rep. Jimmy Stewart, R-Athens, said he wants Dann to resign, but believes that for an impeachment to take place, a source outside the office needs to investigate further, he said.

Senator Joy Padgett, R-Ohio, said Dann’s behavior was intolerable. She declined to comment on whether he should be impeached because she might have to vote on his impeachment in the future.

Candidates for the 92nd District Seat of Ohio state representatives, Councilwoman Debbie Phillips, D-4th Ward, and Athens County Auditor Jill Thompson, sent out press releases in favor of Dann resigning.

“Marc Dann has dishonored his office and let down not only his family and his staff, but the citizens of Ohio,” Thompson said in the release.

Phillips also said she believes Dann should resign and said in her release that she supports impeaching Dann if he does not leave on his own accord.

“Sexual harassment and intimidation cannot be tolerated — Ohioans deserve better from their elected officials,” Phillips wrote.

Other Athens officials, like Mayor Paul Wiehl and Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren, said they hadn’t been tracking the scandal closely.

Wiehl did say of Dann, who ran in 2006 as the candidate who would clean up government, “I guess in my mind I’m more tolerant of the failures of people but not of them being hypocritical.”