London, Ont., Mayor Matt Brown says he is returning to office after his affair with the deputy mayor, a scandal he apologized for and called a “grave error in judgment.”
“I need to work very hard to regain the trust and the respect of my fellow Londoners. And I am prepared to do exactly that,” Brown said in a snap news conference Wednesday.
“I made a grave error in judgment and I’m not going to let that take away from all the milestones that we have achieved as a council.”
READ MORE: Report finds mayor’s affair with deputy mayor violated London, Ont. code of conduct
The mayor took a one-week unpaid leave of absence after the affair was revealed last week, stunning a city that saw Brown’s predecessor fall to a fraud conviction. Deputy Mayor Maureen Cassidy promptly resigned after the affair came to light.
A report released Tuesday from the city’s integrity commissioner found Brown’s “inappropriate relationship” violated three sections of the city’s code of conduct.
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The mayor said of the report that “I accept its criticism and I accept its conclusions,” adding he was focused on returning to council and moving city business forward.
“I am proud of the work that we’ve done so far and I am excited at the work we can do in the years ahead.”
READ MORE: London, Ont. mayor taking leave following affair with deputy mayor
Brown said he was sorry for the scandal and “the negative attention it has brought to our community.”
A spokeswoman announced that Brown’s chief of staff has resigned, without providing further detail.
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