A “family values” Republican candidate in Ohio is facing calls from his own party to withdraw from the race after being busted for having a secret Ashley Madison account, a dating site for people seeking extramarital affairs.
Joe Dills is one of three Republicans currently running for state House. In a recent Facebook post, the married father of three admits he set up the account in 2013 shortly after being discharged from the U.S. Air Force in an effort to “connect with women for inappropriate relationships.”
“It was a moment of weakness that I deeply regret,” writes Dills. “I am, and always will be, embarrassed by that decision.”
He continues, “I never used the site to actively meet with anyone and never was involved in any illicit behavior beyond creating the profile on that site. I sincerely apologize to my family, my friends, my supporters, and the community for my actions in the past. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
It’s my belief that honesty is always the best policy. Integrity matters, and that’s why today I want to be honest about…
Posted by Joe Dills for State Representative on Friday, January 24, 2020
Though Dills was single at the time, and he insists he never actually met up with anyone, the Ohio Republican Party is calling for him to leave the race.
“Mr. Dills crossed a line by joining this lewd and inappropriate website,” party Chairman Jane Timken said in a statement released on Friday. “I call for his immediate withdrawal from the race. There is no place in our party for people that exercise such a gross lack of judgment.”
To make matters even more awkward, one week before the scandal broke, Dills received an endorsement from Ohio Value Voters, an organization that promotes “faith, life, marriage, family and religious freedom.”
Dill’s wife, Nikea, says she’s standing by her man.
“Joe will be the first to tell you of the mistakes he has made and how God has transformed him,” she said in a statement. “I watched as God took a lost broken man and began to shape him and form him into the good Godly man with incredible morals and values that he is today.”
But according to local media outlets, this isn’t the first time cheating has been an issue in the couple’s marriage.
Cincinnati.com reports:
Hours after the post, The Enquirer learned of a January 2016 incident in which his wife, Nikea Dills, showed up at his workplace and accused him of cheating. Miami Township police responded to the scene. They advised Nikea to speak with her pastor and Joe to seek a trusted mediator. Joe Dills denied the cheating allegation, according to the police incident report.
“That incident was a complete misunderstanding,” Dills told The Enquirer on Friday. “Like many couples, we have had our issues but have worked through them together and we are proud to have a strong and beautiful marriage today.”
Related: Whatever happened to Mike Yenni, that Republican lawmaker busted for sexting a teen boy?
Cam
“”Miami Township police responded to the scene. They advised Nikea to speak with her pastor and Joe to seek a trusted mediator. “”
—————————————
1. Why the hell are public sector employees telling a citizen to speak with their Pastor?
2. Notice how they helped out the man? They tell her to speak with a religious figure, they told him to go to an official government position.
3. He didn’t sign up for Ashley Madison when he was single. It is a site specifically set up for married people to cheat. Nice try Republican liar.
winemaker
Yeah right, just there to see what it’s all about. Oh come on, does thus douche expect people to believe he was just curious, of course not.What a hypocrite, pure and simple.’ do as I say, not as i so’. Seems to be the mantra of several of the liberal candidates for president . the names faucohontas warren and socialist sanders come to mind. Busted! BTW, it’s irrelevant this guys politics, be conservative or liberal, this is wrong if you’re married.
Cam
@winemaker
Translation: The Anti-LGBTQ troll account has to deflect from the fact that a Republican got busted lying, being a hypocrite, and hiding who he is because of the party’s bigotry.
whateverokok
Wrong!!!!! I’ve signed onto Ashely Madison and there ain’t nothing about me that is married. you don’t have to be married to sign up for an account to Ashley Madison. Just like you don’t need to be gay to sign up for an account on Grindr. Just because a site is specifically set up for married people or gay doesn’t mean someone else who isn’t gay or married can’t sign up for said site. Happens all the time.
Cam
What a shock, a brand new account comes on here to defend his lie. (Eye Roll)
TheMarc
Surely your comment is sarcasm. No one “deeply regrets” an innocent mistake. With sooo many dating sites/apps out there for single people; why would someone innocently choose a site well known for connecting people looking to cheat on their spouses??
GayVeteranOfcr
Those who are single sign up to have affairs with those who are or who might be married, so just signing up for that site is an indication that you’re a swinger who wants to have some extra marital affairs.
Goforit
Let me guess. One of the other two candidates running is the preferred choice of the republican party. God these republicans are horrible people. They aggressively support a draft dodging, sexual predator that brags about abusing women (“grab them by their p…ys”), pays off porn star prostitutes. extorts our allies to the detriment of our national security, surrounds himself with every kind of criminal known to man and cages children. Yet a young, single military man just back from a war zone defending our country in an area of the world where he had little to no access to sexual gratification wants to get laid, isn’t good enough for them. F#$%^&g hypocrites!!!! As much as I distain anything Republican, almost anything religious, this man gets a pass from me for this “offence”.
hotdogla
“I never used the site to actively meet with anyone and never was involved in any illicit behavior…” Right, my exes excuse every time… lol
Harley
Well, he DID ask for forgiveness so all is good with him and Hitler. #HitlerInHeaven
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Repugnatican party!!!
triguykeith
Ohhhhhhhh, So Frump and his exhaustive amount of inappropriate behavior is fine. Just no one else?
okiloki
He has a right to change and admit his past mistakes. But then he also should not be running as “family values” candidate. “Family values” these days is just code for anti lgbtq. They are ok with everything else.
Chipper
controlling everything and everyone else, They want to control every “body” be they male or female. They are not prolife, just pro birth, because after they are born, you are on your own. Especially as you get retirement age, they really have no use for you. Just another republican/evangelical hypocrite. Just another “Harper Valley hypocrite”
Aranos
Whatever. Now can we see the pics he uploaded to that site?
radiooutmike
What single straight guy signs up for Ashley Madison?
Kangol2
“Family values” Rethuglicants, pulling the same crap over and over and over….
Josh in OR
“Moment of weakness” my ASS.
He’s just another hypocrite fundamentalist insisting the world do as he says, not as he does.
jlogb
There should be a database started for all these hypocrites hiding behind broken, born again bigots policies and BS…: from ministers to politicians to journalists etc. Disgusting when their positions harm others for years and years to come. Sooo john david ….
Virpilosus
And I’m betting that entire GOP Ohio establishment just loves and supports Trump…the most immoral politician who ever existed.