An Ohio Supreme Court justice – who hopes to become state governor – has been criticised after posting a strange and inappropriate Facebook status.
In what appears to be an ill-considered campaign strategy, Democrat judge William ‘Bill’ O’Neill boasted of his various romantic conquests on social media, insisting it was ‘time to speak up on behalf of all heterosexual males’.
In a bafflingly unnecessary account of his sexual history, he recalled a ‘gorgeous personal secretary’ as well as a ‘drop dead gorgeous red head’.
Referring to recent groping allegations made against Senator Al Franken, O’Neill said:
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.
As a candidate for Governor let me save my opponents some research time.
O’Neill then went on to discuss his various encounters with ‘approximately 50’ women:
In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females.
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 and ended with a drop dead gorgeous red head … in Cleveland.
He concluded:
Now can we just get back to discussing legalizing marijuana and opening the state hospital network to combat the opioid crisis [sic].
I am sooooo disappointed by this national feeding frenzy about sexual indiscretions decades ago.
Peace.
Within mere hours of the post going viral, O’Neill’s campaign spokesman – Chris Clevenger – stepped down from his position.
Clevenger later tweeted about how the post had been ‘disturbing and misguided’.
O’Neill’s post has caused anger among both Democrats and Republicans alike, with many people accusing the judge of failing to take the issue of sexual assault seriously.
Others are disgusted by O’Neill appearing to conflate consensual sex with assault and harassment.
Ohio State Representative and Democrat, Nickie J. Antonio, has described the post as being, ‘inexcusable, disrespectful, sexist blather not worthy of any officeholder’ and advised ‘step down Bill O’Neill your service not required’.
Republican Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor told The Washington Post of her ‘shock’ at the words of her colleague:
This gross disrespect for women shakes the public’s confidence in the integrity of the judiciary.
After receiving a largely negative reaction, O’Neill deleted the controversial status and later wrote the following half-apology:
If I offended anyone, particularly the wonderful women in my life, I apologize [sic]. 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 [sic].
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.
Lawmakers and political figures are now calling for O’Neill to drop out of his campaign for Governor.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.