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MiddletownJournal.com

Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann was interviewed twice by Executive Assistant Attorney General Ben Espy, a former state senator, as part of the investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving a close aide.

During the second of these interviews, on April 30, Dann asked to elaborate on two issues, including one on whether his scheduler, Jessica Utovich, ever stayed overnight at his apartment in Dublin. This was his response:

MR. ESPY: The question ... was: Do you recall her ever staying overnight at the apartment?

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: Right. And I said at the end that I didn't know, I was barely at the apartment, before you moved on to another question.

And although the transcript doesn't reflect it, I felt like I didn't get a chance to complete my answer at the time, and I wanted to complete the answer.

MR. ESPY: Go ahead.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: Although I was infrequently at the apartment, I was aware that she stayed overnight; however, I want to be clear that she did not stay overnight on September 10th, 2007.

MR. ESPY: You indicated that you were aware she did stay overnight.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: Yes.

MR. ESPY: Do you know what was the occasion.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: You know, I have knowledge that she stayed overnight. What I don't want to do is allow this serious investigation about allegations of sexual harassment to be transformed into something that is about rumor and innuendo. And so there are a variety of reasons, but I — I don't think it adds any value to your investigation to respond.

MR. ESPY: Okay. As I indicated before to you in the transcript, the scope of this investigation is fairly narrow. And we did look at violations of other policies in the office that was adopted by — in a manual in January of 2008. I also stated at that time that I am not the moral police in the office.

The question before about staying overnight was asked only in the context that one of the complainants indicated they saw her, early in the morning, come out of the apartment or going into the apartment. And that goes to the frequency when she was over at the apartment, not so much in terms of what was done. And I'm not alluding to the fact that there was anything improper of her visit.

That's the context in which the question was being asked.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: And I've exhaustively answered the question about what she was doing there early in the morning and late at night, so I think I'll stand with the answers I've already given.

MR. ESPY: Okay. Thank you. Is there anything else, after reviewing the transcript, you would like to correct or modify.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN: No, Senator.