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Ohio gubernatorial candidate claims he was 'intimate' with '50 very attractive females'

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill, a Democratic candidate for governor, opened up about his sexual history on his Facebook page.
Image: Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O'Neill
Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O'Neill.Ohio Supreme Court via NBC 4

Republicans and Democrats alike were quick to condemn Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., after a radio news anchor accused him of forcibly kissing and groping her a decade ago.

Image: Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O'Neill
Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O'Neill.Ohio Supreme Court via NBC 4

But one man broke from the bipartisan consensus. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill, a Democratic candidate for governor, decided to take a stand.

It got weird.

"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'Neill wrote on Facebook, beginning a 127-word post.

In the spirit of full disclosure, O'Neill said he would spare his opponents "some research time."

"In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females," O'Neill wrote. "It ranged from a gorgeous blonde 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 from Cleveland."

Image: Statement by Bill O'Neill
Bill O'Neill via Facebook

O'Neill was sharply criticized by his fellow Ohioans.

Betty Sutton, another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, tweeted that she was "horrified" the judge would "belittle victims of sexual harassment/assault this way," adding that he should resign immediately.

Lt. Gov Mary Taylor, a GOP candidate for governor, called the Facebook post "ill-timed and dismissive at best."

In an interview with cleveland.com, O'Neill confirmed he was the author of the post. He reportedly went on to defend Franken and Roy Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama who has been accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls decades ago.

"Roy Moore apparently seems to be a challenged individual when it comes to morality," O'Neill told cleveland.com. "I think that's very, very clear. He's been convicted of nothing and he's never had the opportunity to defend himself and that violates due process in America. The media is about to determine the election of a United States Senate campaign."

After the Facebook post went viral, an O'Neill campaign staffer announced on Twitter that he had resigned.

"Sexual harassment and assault is no laughing matter," Chris Clevenger tweeted. "The next Governor of Ohio must take it seriously to receive my vote."