BISMARCK - North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Jay Schuler resigned Monday, Oct. 1, after reflecting on the contentious Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh in an email sent to his staff.

Gov. Doug Burgum, who appointed Schuler in January 2017 and announced the resignation Monday, said in a statement that Schuler “apologized for sending to Commerce Department staff an email this morning that was unacceptable in official communications with team members.”

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IIn an email that was sent to all department staff and later shared with reporters by Burgum’s office, Schuler said Kavanaugh’s nomination, which has been roiled by sexual assault allegations, “brings up some interesting points for one to reflect on.” But he said he was not “suggesting what the vote should be” and didn’t mean for the email to “sound political.”

Schuler then wrote about doing “some not so nice things” while he was growing up, but didn’t detail them.

“In my late teen years there was also some situations that I would just as soon forget,” Schuler added. “Do these breakdowns in judgement define me as a person. I hope not. It was something I learned from.”

“The number of people that live a perfect life like Jesus are rare,” Schuler later wrote. “The majority of us strive to be good human beings and help our fellow man. Unfortunately a lot of us go sideways once in a while.”

An image attached to the email that Schuler said made him “smile and reflect” describes a “perfect man” as somebody who doesn’t drink alcohol or “indulge in night life,” exercises and prays daily, cleans his room, helps in the kitchen and wakes up and goes to bed early.

“Where do you find such perfect men?” the image asks. “Answer: Jail.”

In a statement provided by Burgum’s office, Schuler said it “was an error in judgment for me to send out an email with my personal thoughts and opinions to our Commerce team, especially on such a sensitive topic. I did not mean to offend or create a difficult situation for anyone and I’ve expressed my sincere apologies to the team.”

Burgum said he was “grateful” for Schuler’s “positive work” leading the department.

Burgum’s spokesman Mike Nowatzki said he didn’t have anything more to add beyond the emailed statement. The voicemail box on Schuler’s cell phone was full Monday afternoon.

Burgum appointed Deputy Commissioner Shawn Kessel as interim commissioner until the position is filled on a permanent basis. Kessel complimented Schuler’s work and said he saw him interact with staff in a “professional way.”

Schuler was a founding investor in Giant Sunflower Seeds and Burgum, a Republican and former software executive elected on a promise of “reinventing government,” cited his entrepreneurial background when he appointed him to the post. Schuler’s annual salary was $160,000.

The Department of Commerce focuses on economic and workforce development as well as tourism. Earlier this year, it laid off 13 people as it grappled with budget cuts, bringing its total workforce to 47 full-time employees.