The embattled Democrat made the announcement in a joint appearance with Gov. Ted Strickland in the governor’s cabinet room in the Statehouse. The governor called it a “sad day” for Ohio but said he is “pleased” Dann quit.

Dann expressed hope that the work he emphasized in his 17 months in office, such as going after predatory lenders, would continue. Flanked by one of his two daughters (he also has a son), he said he would now spend more time with his family. He left the press conference without answering questions.

“I apologize and accept responsibility for failing to give an administrative backbone worthy of the great legal work being done,” Dann said, reading from his letter of resignation to Strickland. “ I apologize and accept responsibility for not conducting my personal life in a way that is consistent with the important mission of the office.

“My conduct has caused the creation of a firestorm of negative publicity that has reached a point where it is preventing the great professionals in the office from doing their important work. This is not an acceptable state of affairs.

“The only way I can ensure that the great work in the office can continue is to take responsibility by resigning.”

Strickland said he hasn't considered who will get the appointment, but would start the process today. He said the next attorney general should possess “maturity, experience and management ability,” and be someone with “great integrity.”

For the time being, Dann's top assistant, Thomas R. Winters, will run the office.

Strickland confirmed that Dann asked Fisher yesterday to try to halt the bill allowing Inspector General Thomas P. Charles to probe the attorney general's office. Both Senate President Bill M. Harris and House Speaker Jon Husted turned down the entreaty, which Strickland said the administration did not support.

Dann’s decision comes after a week-and-a-half of increasing pressure to get Dann out of office, and a little more than five weeks after The Dispatch revealed sexual-harassment complaints by two women employees against their supervisor, a longtime Dann friend, in the attorney general's office.

Investigators descended on Dann’s offices in the Rhodes Tower shortly after 11 this morning, defying Dann’s legal arguments that they had no right to investigate his office.

A state trooper was seen hauling electronic equipment from the attorney general’s office shortly after noon today. Authorities also reportedly locked down computers operated by Dann and about a dozen of his top assistants.

In all, about a dozen investigators coordinated by Charles swooped down on the attorney general’s office. A Dann spokesman said the investigators had not seized any documents as of 12:30.

At least two staff members who work on the 17th floor of the Rhodes Tower – where Dann and his inner circle are housed – reportedly were moved to the 15th floor. It wasn’t clear whether they were moved to make room for Charles’ team.

Husted's reaction to Dann's resignation: “His resignation is long overdue. We can now allow the inspector general’s independent investigation – and others – to take their course so integrity and public trust can be restored to the office of the Ohio attorney general.”

Harris' take: “By tendering his resignation as the attorney general of the state of Ohio, Marc Dann did the right thing. I believe it is essential that the independent investigation currently being conducted by Ohio’s inspector general continue in order to begin the process of restoring the public’s trust.”

Rep. Joyce Beatty of Columbus, Democratic leader in the House, said, “I joined my fellow Democrats in calling for Marc Dann to resign, and today, he did the right thing for him and his family by stepping down. I believe he is taking accountability for his conduct. As we have said before, we promised the people of Ohio to end a culture of corruption that existed in the past, and we are fulfilling that promise by cleaning our own house.”

Sen. Ray Miller of Columbus, Senate Democratic leader, said: “This is truly a sad day in the history of Ohio. While I believe that Attorney General Dann made a wise decision, it is disappointing that the problems revealed in his office in the past few weeks have overshadowed the work Marc did in consumer protection, environmental protection and other areas of the law. I wish Marc Dann and his family well as he moves beyond this painful situation.”

Franklin County Commission Mary Jo Kilroy, running in the 15th Congressional District, was perhaps the first prominent Democrat to call on Dann to resign. Today she said, “Sexual harassment and its cover-up can’t be tolerated anywhere and it’s about time he resigned.”

Rep. Kevin DeWine, deputy state Republican chairman: “This embarrassment is far from over. Marc Dann's resignation is overdue, and the investigation into his mismanagement and corruption must continue.

“We've spent the past 15 months pointing out that Marc Dann was not suited to be Ohio's attorney general, and now that it's politically expedient the Democrats finally decided to join us.”

A joint statement from the Democrats who drafted articles of impeachment that were introduced yesterday, state Reps Dan Dodd, D-Hebron; Jennifer Garrison, D-Marietta; and Mark Okey, D-Carrollton:

“We are glad Marc Dann did the right thing today and removed himself from office. He saw that Democrats in the Ohio House were serious about our promise to pursue an impeachment process to remove him if he remained. We made a vow to the people of Ohio to fight corruption – whatever the source – and we have followed through.”

The Republican who Dann defeated in 2006, former Attorney General Betty D. Montgomery, said she would not be a candidate in the fall election.

Dann spent much of yesterday attempting to broker a deal to leave office in exchange for calling off the inspector general’s investigation. However, his attempts failed; legislation expanding the inspector general’s authority passed both branches of the legislature and was signed by Strickland last night.

Yesterday, several close to Dann said his resignation was “imminent” and he was looking for a graceful way to depart.

He has been under pressure to resign since a May 2 report by two of his office’s attorneys found widespread mismanagement, cronyism and tolerance for sexual harassment in his office. The report was triggered by sexual-harassment complaints filed by two junior employees who worked for a longtime Dann friend, former condo-mate and section chief, Anthony Gutierrez.

Dann again huddled with Fisher this morning, a former attorney general who counseled Dann privately for about an hour yesterday afternoon. Dann’s first political work came in a Fisher campaign.

Dann was elected in 2006 on a platform of cleaning out the “culture of corruption” in state government.

jnash@dispatch.com

ajohnson@dispatch.com