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.
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.