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Seitz Aplogizes For Sexist and Demeaning Comments About Women Lawmakers

A longtime state representative is formally apologizing for comments he made at a going away party earlier this week – comments that had other lawmakers fuming and calling for an investigation. 

Republican Rep. Bill Seitz of Cincinnati says in a letter to House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and members of the Ohio House that he has “deep regret and remorse” for comments made at the going-away party and roast for the Republican caucus’ chief of staff.

Seitz says he accepts full responsibility for what he called his ill-advised remarks at the event just blocks from the Statehouse Wednesday, and says he looks forward to offering sincere apologies in person to Rep. Candice Keller of Middletown and former New Carlisle lawmaker Diana Fessler.

House staffers confirmed that Keller was upset by the comments, which were said to be derogatory and sexist. Democrats including Sen. Cecil Thomas of Cincinnati have said that an investigation and appropriate discipline may be needed.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.