COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio conservatives and House Republican leaders knew former state Rep. Wes Goodman had engaged in extramarital affairs with men more than a year before he resigned his seat last week.

Cleveland.com first reported Saturday that Goodman, a married man, had sex with men while working in Washington, D.C. and sent unsolicited, sexually inappropriate messages to younger men he met in conservative circles. Goodman, 33, continued sending messages while he was a sitting legislator, men who received the messages say.

House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger heard rumors that Goodman was gay and cheating on his wife as early as May 2016, a House spokesman confirmed Tuesday. But little could be done because Goodman denied those rumors when confronted, and they never involved another lawmaker or House employees, House spokesman Brad Miller said.

Cincinnati-based Citizens for Community Values, which opposes same-sex marriage, and Ohio's Conservative Republican Leadership Committee were briefed on Goodman's consensual affairs, according to the Associated Press. The Washington Post reported Friday that an Ohio GOP state central committee member knew of a 2015 incident in which Goodman was accused of fondling a teen in a hotel room.

Goodman resigned last Wednesday after Rosenberger confronted him about consensual "inappropriate behavior" with a man in his state-issued office a few months prior.

"I can confidently say that everything that occurred in this situation was handled properly," Miller said Tuesday.

What did the House GOP know?



Miller told cleveland.com on Friday that Rosenberger was not aware Goodman had sent unsolicited messages to young men. Miller on Tuesday clarified that Rosenberger was not aware of such messages being sent to House employees, interns or pages.

The Ohio House Republican Organizational Caucus was notified soon after Goodman won his May 2016 primary that he had sex with men, contradicting the then-candidate's vocal stance against same-sex marriage.

In late May 2016, Chris Donnelly, a former GOP congressional staffer, contacted Ohio GOP House Republican Organizational Caucus political director Kenny Street. Donnelly told Street that Goodman had sex with men, contradicting the then-candidate's policy positions against same-sex marriage. Miller said Rosenberger directed Street and House Chief of Staff Mike Dittoe to confront Goodman.

Miller said Goodman denied having sex with men and denied knowing Donnelly.

In June 2017, screenshots of messages purported to have been sent by Goodman through Facebook were forwarded to House staff by someone who is not a House employee. The images feature the same profile photo of Goodman and his wife displayed on his Facebook profile as of Tuesday.

Miller said Rosenberger again asked staff to confront Goodman about "rumors and innuendo" about his sexuality and faithfulness to his wife.

In one message, an unidentified person wrote to Goodman, "You're gonna have to give me a tour of the statehouse after you are elected too." Goodman responded, "Ha Will do! We have a nice jacuzzi here lol" and later mentioned "hot tub skinny dipping."

Miller said it was not clear from the screenshots whether Goodman was messaging young men or House staff members or when the messages were sent.

In another message, Goodman appeared to write that he had " a couple of bi frat bros so thankfully getting (oral sex) isn't that hard lol."

In a meeting with Dittoe, the chief of staff, and attorney Mike Lenzo, Goodman denied sending the messages and claimed fake screenshots were circulating. Miller said Goodman was warned against having inappropriate interactions with staff and that such interactions would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

What was done?

Miller said rumors surfaced several times between the May 2016 report and Goodman's Nov. 15 resignation, but caucus staff only confronted Goodman twice.

"The speaker takes these things very seriously," Miller said. "But when there are screenshots or rumors about his or her sexuality that does not involve anyone in the House, I do not know what else could be done, especially when the member involved has not been honest at any point along the way."

The consensual sex act that Goodman resigned over, however, involved a person who was not a House employee and was reported by someone who was not a House employee.

Miller said the difference between the two situations was that Goodman admitted to the behavior and agreed with Rosenberger's suggestion he resign.

"Prior to that, there were no verbal or written allegations of harassment brought forward against Rep. Goodman by any House employees, pages or interns," Miller said.

Who received messages from Goodman?

Cleveland.com spoke with men who said they received messages from Goodman asking them to meet with him, mentioning penis size or underwear or otherwise suggesting they engage in inappropriate behavior.

One, who met Goodman through a conservative students' group at Ohio State University, said the lawmaker messaged him as recently as this summer. The messages were sent through Snapchat, an app that sends messages that disappear after a few seconds and notify the sender if they are saved to the recipient's phone

Caleb Hull, a former Cedarville University student, said he had received unwanted messages in which Goodman "begged" him to have sex with him and/or his wife. In a now viral tweet, Hull shared screenshots of sexually suggestive messages received by a friend.

Hull, a journalist working for Independent Journal Review, said more than 30 men shared their stories and screenshots with him. He published several anonymous accounts Monday on the conservative-leaning publication's website.