Ohio attorney general resigns amid scandal

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 14 (UPI) -- Embattled Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann announced Wednesday he is resigning amid threat of impeachment.

Dann's fellow Democrats questioned his leadership after he admitted to having an affair with a staffer, and an internal report criticized his management of the attorney general's office, Legal Newsline reported.

"Unfortunately, the last step I must take as attorney general to resolve these problems is to resign as attorney general," Dann said was quoted as saying. "It is my belief that this will preserve the great work being done by the office of Attorney General."

House Democrats Tuesday filed articles of impeachment against Dann, outlining nine charges against him, including gross neglect of duties and making misleading statements under oath, Legal Newsline reported.

Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland said Wednesday the scandal's political fallout for Democrats will be minimal.

"I have no reason to believe there will be political repercussions," he said. "I think there could have been or there would have been, if we ignored the circumstances that lead to this resignation but we did not."

First Assistant Attorney General Tom Winters will serve as acting attorney general until Strickland name's a successor to Dann.