Hite further explains resignation in statement Posted on October 18, 2017 0 Former Ohio Senator Cliff Hite and his wife, Diane, issued a statement Wednesday morning on the Socialfindlay.com website regarding his sudden resignation on Monday from his seat in the Senate. In earlier explanations, Hite had cited medical concerns within his family as the reason for his abrupt departure. He further explains the situation in the following statement. “I’m not proud of recent inappropriate conversations that I had with a state employee who did not work for me but worked in a nearby state office. After we met, I sometimes asked her for hugs and talked with her in a way that was not appropriate for a married man, father, and grandfather like myself. “Beyond those hugs, there was no inappropriate physical contact. I recognize that this was inappropriate behavior. She deserves more respect than that and so does my wife. I apologize completely. This is no one’s fault but my own. I’m proud of my long career as a teacher, coach, and legislator but I’m not proud how I acted with this person. “As I’ve said previously and in recent public statements I’ve been seriously ill over the last year, have been hospitalized for several days, and I am now facing two different surgeries scheduled next month. I just don’t have the strength to continue to travel back and forth from Northwest Ohio to Columbus each week and make my way around such a large Senate district. The combination of my mistake in judgment and my failing health led me to decide to step down, so someone else can represent the good people of my district.” Diane Hite’s statement: “I love my husband and he’s a good man but he made a mistake here. He told me all about it, apologized to me, and I forgive him. We don’t have a perfect marriage and, like so many couples, we’ve had some hard times in our relationship. We’re in counseling now and we’re hopeful that both our marriage and Cliff’s health will get better.” ––––– “The statements are all the comments the couple plans to make and are not willing to be interviewed or accepting calls from the press,” according to the statement.
