Democratic candidate for Ohio governor is blasted by politicians of BOTH sides and his campaign manager resigns after ‘disturbing’ boast that he had bedded 50 women

  • Republicans and Democrats in Ohio were up in arms on Saturday over State Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill's bragging about bedding '50 women' 
  • O’Neill on Friday commented on sexual harassment charges against Sen. Al Franken
  • He released a Facebook post 'on behalf of all heterosexual males'
  • O'Neil wrote that he was sexually intimate with 50 'very attractive females'
  • Recounts sex in a barn with a 'gorgeous personal secretary' to senator
  • Top state officials in Ohio from both parties reacted angrily to O’Neill – with his campaign manager announcing that he was stepping down 
  • In response to the backlash, O'Neill wrote a post on Facebook apologizing for his comments 

Republicans and Democrats in Ohio were up in arms on Saturday over a state supreme court judge, Bill O'Neill (above), who bragged about being ‘sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females’

Republicans and Democrats in Ohio were up in arms on Saturday over a state supreme court judge, Bill O'Neill (above), who bragged about being ‘sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females’

Republicans and Democrats in Ohio were up in arms on Saturday over a state supreme court judge who bragged about being ‘sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females.’

Bill O’Neill, a Democrat who is running for governor of Ohio, wrote a Facebook post on Friday saying it was ‘time to speak up on behalf of all heterosexual males’ after seeing the ‘dogs of war’ call for the resignation of Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

Franken apologized on Thursday after photos emerged showing him groping a woman. He was also accused of forcibly kissing her a decade ago.

Top state officials in Ohio from both parties reacted angrily to O’Neill – with his campaign manager announcing that he was stepping down.

‘The comments made today by @BillForOhio were both disturbing and misguided. As a victim of sexual assault, I cannot in good faith remain a part of #TeamONeill,’ Chris Clevenger, the campaign manager, tweeted on Friday.

Chris Clevenger
Maureen O'Connor

Chris Clevenger (left), O'Neill's campaign manager, announced on Twitter he was stepping down. Maureen O’Connor (right), Ohio’s chief justice, condemned O’Neill. 'No words can convey my shock,' she said. O'Connor is a Republican

‘Moments ago I was able to contact Justice O’Neill to announce my resignation from the campaign. I have been out of pocket all day, and had no prior knowledge of his statement.

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

Maureen O’Connor, Ohio’s chief justice, condemned O’Neill.

‘No words can convey my shock,’ O’Connor, a Republican, told The Washington Post.

“This gross disrespect for women shakes the public’s confidence in the integrity of the judiciary.”

David Pepper, the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, said O’Neill’s remarks were ‘terrible,’ particularly in light of the spate of sexual harassment allegations against top figures in politics, the entertainment industry, and the press.

‘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 and consider their experiences and insights,’ Pepper wrote on Twitter.

David Pepper (above), the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, said O’Neill’s remarks were ‘terrible,’ particularly in light of the spate of sexual harassment allegations against top figures in politics, the entertainment industry, and the press

David Pepper (above), the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, said O’Neill’s remarks were ‘terrible,’ particularly in light of the spate of sexual harassment allegations against top figures in politics, the entertainment industry, and the press

‘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.’

Another Democrat, State Senator Joe Schiavoni, also denounced O'Neill.

'This is a ridiculous comment by someone who is supposed to be a professional representing Ohioans on our highest court,' Schiavoni, who is also running for governor of Ohio, tweeted. 

'It is definitely not reflective of the way I feel as a heterosexual man. Bill O'Neill is not speaking 'on behalf of all heterosexual males.' 

In response to the backlash on Saturday, O’Neill posted an apology to his Facebook page.

Another Democrat, State Senator Joe Schiavoni, also denounced O'Neill. 'This is a ridiculous comment by someone who is supposed to be a professional representing Ohioans on our highest court,' Schiavoni, who is also running for governor of Ohio, tweeted

Another Democrat, State Senator Joe Schiavoni, also denounced O'Neill. 'This is a ridiculous comment by someone who is supposed to be a professional representing Ohioans on our highest court,' Schiavoni, who is also running for governor of Ohio, tweeted

‘If I offended anyone, particularly the wonderful women in my life, I apologize,’ he wrote.

‘But if I have helped elevate the discussion on the serious issues of sexual assault, as opposed to personal indiscretions, to a new level...I make no apologies.

‘Suggesting the admitted conduct of Senator Al Franken and the alleged conduct of Judge Roy Moore are on the same level trivializes the serious subject at hand.

‘There are Democrats out there who are saying neither one of them pass the purity test to sit in the United States Senate. And that is sad.’

Roy Moore is a former judge on the Alabama state Supreme Court who is running for the US Senate.

In response to the backlash on Saturday, O’Neill posted an apology to his Facebook page

In response to the backlash on Saturday, O’Neill posted an apology to his Facebook page

Moore has been accused by at least five women of making sexual advances toward them when they were underage.

On Friday, O’Neill told WKYC-TV that he was likely dropping out of the race for governor, though he said he would continue to sit on the state Supreme Court.

O'Neill on Friday blasted the 'feeding frenzy' about sexual 'indiscretions' by recounting a lifetime of 50 sexual relationships with 'very attractive females' – then pitched his campaign to legalize marijuana.

He wrote that he wanted to 'save my opponents some research time,' releasing a post where he bragged about his sexual exploits.

'In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females,' O'Neil, a sitting justice who said he will give up his seat one he files his campaign paperwork, wrote.

'It ranged from a gorgeous personal secretary to Senator Bob Taft (Senior) who was my first true love and we made passionate love in the hayloft of her parents barn in Gallipolis,' O'Neill, 70, began.

HAY-WIRE: 'In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females,' O'Neill'

HAY-WIRE: 'In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females,' O'Neill'

Then he added that it 'ended with a drop dead gorgeous red head who was a senior advisor to Peter Lewis at Progressive Insurance in Cleveland.'

O'Neil modified his postings to remove the personally identifying information about the two women. He changed the description of the first woman to be a 'gorgeous blonde who was my first true love.'

It included the hayloft reference but without the information identifying where her parents lived.  

The advisor to an insurance executive became a 'drop dead gorgeous red head from Cleveland.'

O'Neill began his rant with a comment on Sen. Al Franken, who is accused of groping a woman during a USO trip in 2006.

'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'Neil wrote.

'We made passionate love in the hayloft of her parents barn in Gallipolis,' O'Neill wrote of his first sexual encounter

'We made passionate love in the hayloft of her parents barn in Gallipolis,' O'Neill wrote of his first sexual encounter

YOU LEFT OUT HER ADDRESS: O'Neill recounted his sexual history in an astonishing Facebook he said would save opponents 'some research time,' and included identifying information about two women

YOU LEFT OUT HER ADDRESS: O'Neill recounted his sexual history in an astonishing Facebook he said would save opponents 'some research time,' and included identifying information about two women

ON SECOND THOUGHT: A second posting changed the descriptions to include a 'drop dead gorgeous red head' and a 'gorgeous blonde'

ON SECOND THOUGHT: A second posting changed the descriptions to include a 'drop dead gorgeous red head' and a 'gorgeous blonde'

O'Neill is a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court

O'Neill is a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court

O'Neill referenced what he called a 'feeding frenzy' about sexual 'indiscretions.'

He ended his post by writing: 'Now can we get back to discussing legalizing marijuana and opening the state hospital network to combat the opioid crisis. I am sooooo disappointed by this national feeding frenzy about sexual indiscretions decades ago.'   

He signed the posting: 'Peace.' 

O'Neil's campaign previously has drawn attention mainly for the complications of a sitting judge running for elective office. 

O'Neill is one of several Democrats who plan to run to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich.

He has said he would get out of the race if Richard Cordray, who this week announced he was stepping down from a federal consumer protection board, decides to run.

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