Risking impeachment, Attorney General Marc Dann on Monday refused demands from the governor and other fellow Democrats that he resign over a sexual harassment scandal in his office and an extramarital affair with a subordinate.

A story from the AP says, Gov. Ted Strickland told reporters that Democrats will begin drafting an impeachment resolution against Dann right away. Republican House Speaker Jon Husted said Monday that his chamber _ which takes the first step in any impeachment _ was already reviewing the process.

Virtually every state-level Democratic officeholder, as well as Ohio's Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, urged Dann to resign in a letter late Sunday after Strickland tried twice during the day to persuade him to leave office.

A sexual harassment investigation uncovered an atmosphere in Dann's office rife with inappropriate staff-subordinate relationships, heavy drinking and harassing and threatening behavior by a supervisor. On Friday, Dann admitted to an extramarital affair with a subordinate after the investigation threatened to reveal the relationship.

"I would hope the Attorney General will understand that his effectiveness as an attorney general has been so diminished that in my judgment he can no longer effectively serve in that office," Strickland said Monday.

"I think it's important for Democrats to send a very clear message that we will clean our own house."