Republican state Representative Wes Goodman, who resigned Wednesday amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with another man in his office, led a double life
A married Ohio state lawmaker who has said multiple times he believes in a ‘natural marriage’ between a man and a woman sent salacious and lewd text messages to gay men, propositioned other young men for sex when he worked in Washington, DC, and tried to convince a fellow conservative to join him and his wife for threesomes.
Republican state Representative Wes Goodman, who resigned Wednesday amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with another man in his office, led a double life.
‘Wes Goodman, who was just caught having sex with a man in his office, begged me to have sex with him and/or his wife on several occasions while I went to school in Ohio,’ Caleb Hull, a conservative journalist, alleged on his Twitter account on Saturday.
In public, he was a family values conservative – a far cry from the behavior he displayed in private, according to Cleveland.com.
The web site interviewed three people who say they knew Goodman during the time he spent working in the capital.
Before being elected to the Ohio state legislature to represent Cardington, Goodman worked in Washington as an aide to Rep. Jim Jordan, one of the most conservative politicians in the country.
Goodman also worked for the Conservative Action Project, an organization made up of economic, social and national security conservatives.
‘Wes Goodman, who was just caught having sex with a man in his office, begged me to have sex with him and/or his wife (Bethany Goodman, seen right) on several occasions while I went to school in Ohio,’ Caleb Hull (left), a conservative journalist, alleged on his Twitter account on Saturday
He served as managing director of the organization, leading ‘the fight for conservative principles like balanced budget, lower taxes, repealing Obamacare, life, and religious liberty,’ his site says.
His website also clearly outlines his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman, and he has relied on these conservative values to bolster his political message and relate to voters.
‘The ideals of a loving father and mother, a committed natural marriage, and a caring community are well worth pursuing and protecting,’ the site says.
Cleveland.com spoke to Johnny Hadlock, who was working as an aide to another Republican congressman on Capitol Hill.
Hadlock said he met Goodman in 2010.
During their conversations, Hadlock revealed to Goodman that he was a closeted homosexual.
He told Cleveland.com that soon afterward he and Goodman began exchanging explicit text messages that included sexting and gay banter.
Their conversations even escalated to phone sex, according to Hadlock.
Throughout their relationship, Hadlock insisted Goodman did nothing inappropriate.
‘Wes never sexually harassed me – we both knew what we were doing and we were both fine doing it,’ Hadlock said.
An anonymous individual who describes himself as a ‘conservative with ties to Ohio’ alleged that Goodman engaged in predatory behavior toward younger men after he finished working for Ohio Rep Jim Jordan (above) in Washington, DC
In 2012, Hadlock went to work for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. He says he is currently employed at a Washington, DC non-profit organization.
Hadlock and Goodman last communicated with each other in 2014.
In Facebook chats, Goodman would reveal to Hadlock that he was in his underwear. He would also ask Hadlock if he was aroused.
Hadlock says the relationship never got physical.
An anonymous individual who describes himself as a ‘conservative with ties to Ohio’ alleged that Goodman engaged in predatory behavior toward younger men after he worked for Jordan.
He said Goodman would send lewd messages through Facebook and text in which he would proposition college-age men for sex.
This was corroborated by Hull, who tweeted: ‘He did this to dozens of college political activists in Ohio that I know as well.’
‘He was with us at a bar during a Turning Point USA conference and left early, but forgot to pay his bill.
He said Goodman would send lewd messages through Facebook and text in which he would proposition college-age men for sex
‘One of the people in our group texting him asking what his room number was to charge it to his room and he told him the number.
‘Then my friend told him that he had charged his room.
‘And then he replied with something like “oh I thought you were coming up to have some fun with me and my wife. She’s asleep but I’m horny”.’
Those who received Goodman’s messages were scared to report him for fear that it would damage career prospects.
They also viewed Goodman as a mentor-like figure who could help them find jobs after college.
A former co-worker shared screen shots of text messages sent by Goodman. He said they were similar to those that led to the demise of former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
‘It was suggestive “I am here in my underwear” kinds of stuff,’ the co-worker said.
Goodman was considered well-connected in conservative circles, making it that much more difficult for anyone to complain about him.
‘People never really wanted to come forward against someone in power,’ the anonymous individual said.
In 2015, Goodman allegedly invited the teenage son of a prominent Republican donor to his room at the Ritz Carlton hotel.
Goodman resigned Wednesday amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with another man in his office. The 33-year-old is pictured with his wife, Bethany Goodman
According to The Washington Post, Goodman allegedly unzipped the 18-year-old’s pants and began to fondle him, prompting the boy to bolt from the room at about 4am.
The terrified teen told his parents, who then demanded that the head of a conservative organization which was hosting a conference at the time remove Goodman.
That led to Goodman’s departure from the Council for National Policy.
Cleveland.com also quoted Chris Donnelly, who said that in 2008 he and Goodman had sex after Goodman responded to a classified ad on Craigslist.
Donnelly used an alias on Craigslist and described himself as ‘straight/curious’ who needed to be discreet.
‘Maybe we can hang and see what’s up, no expectations really,’ Goodman’s response read.
‘But your post seemed cool so let me know bro.’
Donnelly said that Goodman was ‘all over Craigslist.’
‘It became a running joke between me and my gay friends on Capitol Hill,’ Donnelly said.
It was known by the small clique of gay conservatives in Washington that Goodman would often have trysts with men he met on Craigslist. He is pictured above with his wife Bethany
‘It’s not like it was some one-off thing.’
Both Hadlock and Donnelly said they voluntarily spoke to Cleveland.com because they were disappointed that while Goodman pursued sex with men, he was politically promoting legislation that the LGBT community had opposed.
In 2009, Goodman was a staunch supporter of Jordan’s Defense of Marriage Act, which sought to overturn a local law allowing same-sex marriage.
In May 2016, Goodman won a seat in the Ohio State House of Representatives.
Though there were rumors of his secret life, top Republicans felt that without a specific allegation there wasn’t any action they could take.
Hadlock said he didn’t believe Goodman deserved privacy given the positions he has taken in his political career as it relates to gay rights.
‘My hope for Wes is that he can now pursue an authentic life and be happy, whatever that means,’ Hadlock said.
Goodman resigned his seat this week after he was caught in his government-provided office engaging in ‘inappropriate behavior’ with an individual who was not employed by the government.
The only existing details about the behavior are that it included a male in a consensual situation, and took place several weeks ago in his state-provided office.
No harassment complaints have been filed against the 33-year-old.
Goodman confirmed the allegations in a statement on Wednesday.
‘We all bring our own struggles and our own trials into public life,’ he said.
‘That has been true for me, and I sincerely regret that my actions and choices have kept me from serving my constituents and our state in a way that reflects the best ideals of public service. For those whom I have let down, I’m sorry.’
Republican House Speaker Clifford Rosenberger said he learned Tuesday that Goodman had engaged in ‘inappropriate behavior related to his state office.’
‘I met with him later in the day where he acknowledged and confirmed the allegations,’ Rosenberger said in a statement.
‘It became clear that his resignation was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House District and this institution.’
A message seeking comment was left with Goodman. He has requested privacy moving forward.
While Goodman privately pursued men sexually, in public he was a staunch supporter of anti-LGBT legislation
He was the second Ohio lawmaker to resign this month for allegations of inappropriate behavior, and his is the latest to hit the state’s legislature since sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced.
Those allegations prompted a national wave of similar alleged misconducts by entertainers, politicians and others.
Veteran Ohio Sen. Clifford Hite, a Republican from Findlay, resigned October 16 after a sexual harassment complaint was filed against him.
According to an investigative memo, Hite had inappropriate conversations and physical contact with a female legislative staff member for two months and repeatedly propositioned her for sex.
The Ohio House subsequently released a cache of documents requested by reporters that showed three state representatives had been disciplined and a staff aide had been fired following harassment claims in recent years.
Then on Monday, Senate Democrats’ chief of staff, Michael Premo, resigned abruptly over unspecified allegations of inappropriate conduct. His single-sentence resignation email provided no details.
State Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken, the first woman to head Ohio’s GOP, issued a statement Wednesday supporting Goodman’s decision to step aside.
‘I believe Speaker Rosenberger said it best; his resignation was the most appropriate course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House District and the House,’ she said.