Alaska lieutenant governor resigns after making 'inappropriate comments'

Byron Mallott.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

The lieutenant governor of Alaska, Byron Mallott, resigned suddenly on Tuesday, and Gov. Bill Walker (I) said he stepped down due to "inappropriate comments" made two days ago.

"As leaders, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of conduct," Walker said. The governor said he found out about the comments on Monday, and that they were directed at a woman who has asked that her identity remain anonymous. Mallott and Walker were close, running on a "unity ticket" in 2014; Walker, once a Republican, was elected as an independent, and Mallott is a Democrat.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.