COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the days before he resigned immediately for medical reasons, Ohio Lottery Commissioner Pat McDonald denied allegations of unwanted behavior, including “text messages expressing inappropriate fondness and innuendo toward two employees” and “unwanted touching of two employees,” according to an administrative review of human resources issues at the commission obtained by News 5.

The commission also provided a series of text messages sent between McDonald and an unnamed lottery commission employee that took place between January and April of this year in which he frequently expressed a strong and unrequited affection for the employee.

McDonald frequently texted “I love you,” and other statements, such as “I still have a major crush on you,” and “You’re a gift from god to me,” in addition to other inappropriate texts and emojis sent at all hours of the day and night.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, McDonald texted: “People love you – do we want to expand on things? I’d be happy to keep you to myself,” followed by the eggplant and heart emojis.

In the texts provided, the employee does not reciprocate or address the affectionate comments.

Starting in March, the employee started to be more direct with McDonald. According to the texts, the employee was upset that their boss had photos of them on their phone.

“You cannot take pictures of me. Bottom line,” one of the employee’s texts reads.

McDonald responded - “I will never do that again but its not illegal.”

The employee later threatened to resign.

A report reviewing the human resources issues at the Ohio Lottery was commissioned by the state’s Department of Administrative Services and prepared by the Cleveland-based law firm Zashin and Rich.

The report, released Friday, states a lottery employee notified human resources of McDonald’s unwanted behavior on April 7. In addition to the texts, the report claims McDonald also engaged in "unwanted touching of two employees’ arms, shoulders, and forehead, an unwanted hug as well as verbal comments about the appearance of two employees."

McDonald attended an in-person meeting with Matthew Donahue, the governor’s Chief Counsel, and Stephanie McCloud, the governor’s Chief of Staff, on April 11, about the allegations, which he explicitly denied. In that meeting, he disclosed “a significant medical condition and that he was considering retirement,” the report states.

News 5 obtained video of McDonald apparently being escorted out of the lottery commission offices by McCloud and Donahue on that date.

RAW: Former Ohio Lottery Commissioner escorted from offices by governor's staff

McDonald submitted his resignation the following day, and, according to the report, his resignation negated further disciplinary action.

However, documents show that all of this behavior wasn’t going unnoticed - the assistant director knew. The state told us that the individual is being reassigned “to a non-supervisory position at a different agency in a lower classification and pay range.”

The administrative report also recommended mandatory training for all lottery employees regarding appropriate workplace conduct.

We reached out to McDonald for comment, but he did not respond.

The lottery commission refused an interview but did give a statement saying, “We want to assure our customers that the actions of the former director have no impact on the Lottery’s day to day operations or the integrity of our games.”

RELATED: Director of Ohio Lottery resigns suddenly; investigation into alleged 'HR irregularities' underway

Ohio Lottery director resigns; state investigating alleged 'HR irregularities'

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The head of the U.S. Capitol Police will resign effective Jan. 16 following the breach of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

Chief Steven Sund said Thursday that police had planned for a free speech demonstration and did not expect the violent attack. He said it was unlike anything he’d experienced in his 30 years in law enforcement.

He resigned Thursday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on him to step down. His resignation was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The breach halted the effort by Congress to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Protesters stormed the building and occupied for hours. The lawmakers eventually returned and finished their work.

Three Vermont troopers have resigned following allegations they may have violated federal law by creating fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.

In a news release Tuesday, Vermont State Police confirmed the resignations and announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigations has launched a criminal probe into the alleged crimes. The investigation was first reported by journalists with VTDigger.

"If these allegations are proven true, it is reprehensible that state troopers would manipulate vaccination cards in the midst of a pandemic," Col. Matthew Birmingham said in a written statement.

Former troopers Shawn Sommers and Raymond Witkowski submitted their resignations on Aug. 10, according to the agency. That came one day after another trooper notified supervisors within state police about their alleged actions.

A third trooper, David Pfindel, resigned Sept. 3 following an additional investigation by the Department of Public Safety.

The release from state police notes that the alleged creation of fake vaccine cards was "immediately" reported to supervisors and, soon after, federal authorities. Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling noted Tuesday the agency does "not believe there is anything more state police could have done to prevent this from occurring."

An investigation through FBI offices and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Burlington will continue. State police said they were unable to release the information prior to Tuesday as a result of the ongoing federal probe.

"The accusations in this case involve an extraordinary level of misconduct — a criminal violation of the law — and I could not be more upset and disappointed," Birmingham said.

Birmingham described himself as being "embarrassed" by the situation, adding it would likely result in a damaged public image for state police.

Sommers and Witkowski both joined the state police in the summer of 2016.

Pfindel joined the state police in 2014.

This is a developing report. Please refresh this page for updates.

The strong jobs recovery has prompted a lot of workers to part ways with their employers — in many cases, to pursue jobs offering more flexibility or better pay.

In June, nearly 4 million workers quit their jobs, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But when it comes to leaving your job, there should be more to it than walking into your boss' office and yelling: 'I quit!' (No matter how tempting that might be.)

How you leave your current job can affect your career down the road and you don't want to burn any bridges. Here's how to do it right:

Tell your boss first

You might be excited to share the news of your new role with your work friends, but your boss should be the first person to hear about your exit.

"It is a courtesy," said Marianne Ruggiero, founder and president of Optima Careers. "They are the people who likely made the decision to hire you and you want them to have a chance to understand and get information and make a plan."

If possible, have this conversation in person or, if you're working remotely, on a video meeting.

When having the conversation, Ruggiero recommends getting straight to the point by saying something like: "I want to let you know that I've decided to take a new position and am resigning from my position effective [provide date]."

If the boss seems surprised by the news, Ruggiero suggested following up by saying something along the lines of: "I'm very grateful for all that you've done for me and I hope you understand that I'm doing this to advance my career. It will be an opportunity to further my skills or leverage my skills or learn more about..."

Alison Sullivan, career trends expert at Glassdoor, suggested discussing with your boss about how best to inform your colleagues.

"Think about how you are going to communicate with your team and boss and what you are going to say about the reasons you're leaving," she said. "Make sure to be clear and be supportive in helping the transition process."

Give some notice (if you can)

Giving at least two weeks' notice of your departure has become a generally accepted norm.

The heads up helps managers figure out things like how to shift your workload, get up-to-date on the status of assignments and inform clients.

While it's not necessarily a requirement to give that much notice, departing abruptly could have negative consequences, including leaving a poor impression and having co-workers wondering what happened.

"If you have some sort of agreement that has a different notice period then you should follow that because you could lose out on other benefits that you might be entitled to," said Davida Perry, managing partner of Schwartz Perry & Heller in New York City.

You should also be prepared to be asked to leave the day you give notice — especially if you are going to a competitor.

"Most people know before they've resigned what the general convention is in that particular environment," said Ruggiero.

The resignation letter

If you're asked for a resignation letter, Perry advised keeping it short: thank your employer for the opportunity and state when your last day of work will be.

However, if you're leaving over a possible legal claim, such as an allegation of workplace safety violations, Perry advised speaking to an attorney before submitting a resignation letter. Anything in writing could be used against you later.

"If there is some illegal activity going on... you're definitely going to want to push back or write a letter identifying the fact that you are not voluntarily resigning."

Help with the transition

When delivering the news of your departure, have a plan to help your boss with the transition after you leave.

Career coach Hallie Crawford suggested being ready with a status update on all your projects and assignments, and offering up suggestions about which colleagues might take them over.

"Be proactive and have a transition plan. It will help smooth things over and make it easier on everybody. But make sure what you are promising you can do is realistic," said Crawford.

Stay positive

Try to remain cordial and productive with your colleagues during your remaining time. You never know when your paths might cross again.

"These are the people who are going to be your next reference," said Ruggiero, adding that you should also identify who you'd like to try to keep in your network as you move forward in your career.

Reach out to any sponsors and colleagues you wish to carry on relationships with and ask them to have coffee or lunch with you before your departure.

"Pick a handful of people you'd like to stay connected with and let them know that," said Crawford. "You want to close your professional relationship out with people properly, just as if you are onboarding, you want to offboard correctly as well."

Don't waver

Even though you might have spent hours deliberating about moving, your boss might still try to make an offer to keep you on board.

If you've already concluded you are leaving and have accepted another offer, Crawford advised being direct.

"You need to stick to your 'no.'" She recommended saying something like: Thank you so much for the offer. I really appreciate it, but I've really made up my mind.

"Keep it short and sweet. If you start to say more, you might be leaving the door open," Crawford said.

Melissa DeRosa, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top aide, has resigned from her role, she told the media Sunday night, about a week after a state attorney general report found the governor had sexually harassed 11 women.

DeRosa, who joined Cuomo's administration in 2013, eventually became one of the governor's most trusted confidantes. She wrote in a statement to news organizations that serving the people of New York had been “the greatest honor of my life.”

“Personally, the past two years have been emotionally and mentally trying,” DeRosa wrote in her statement. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such talented and committed colleagues on behalf of our state.”

DeRosa often defended Cuomo when he faced public criticism. In March, she told lawmakers that Cuomo's administration didn’t turn over nursing home death data to legislators last August because of worries the information would be used against them by President Donald Trump’s administration.

DeRosa is chair of the New York State Council on Women and Girls, which Cuomo launched in 2017 to, in part: “make sure that every policy enacted and each program created takes into account the experiences of women and girls and tries to further advance equality in our state.”

As the aftermath of the attorney general's report unfolds, Cuomo, a Democrat, has dug in for the fight of his political life despite the threat of potential criminal investigations and widespread calls for his impeachment.

Scores of Democrats, including President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and some past Cuomo loyalists, have urged him to leave office or face an impeachment battle he probably cannot win.

About two-thirds of state Assembly members have already said they favor an impeachment trial if he refuses to resign. Nearly all 63 members of the state Senate have called for Cuomo to step down or be removed.

“My sense is from what I’m hearing is he’s still looking for ways to fight this and get his side of the story out,” state Democratic party Chairman Jay Jacobs said in an interview with The Associated Press. But Jacobs added: "I just think that he’s going to, at some point, see that the political support is just not anywhere near enough to even make an attempt worthwhile.”

The governor’s lawyers have promised what will likely be a drawn-out fight to stay in office.

“I am not aware of the governor having plans to resign,” Cuomo lawyer Rita Glavin told CNN on Saturday.

Cuomo — who for months said the public would be “shocked” once he shared his side of the story — has not spoken publicly since the release of a 168-page report written by two independent attorneys who were selected by the state attorney general to investigate.

A female executive assistant who accused Cuomo of groping her said Sunday that what the governor did to her was a crime. She was the first woman to file a criminal complaint against Cuomo.

In her first public interview in which she identified herself, Brittany Commisso told “CBS This Morning” and the Albany Times-Union that the governor "needs to be held accountable.”

Commisso has said Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her when they were alone in a room at the Executive Mansion last year and on another occasion rubbed her rear end while they posed for a photo.

“He broke the law,” she said in an excerpt of an interview scheduled to be aired in full on Monday.

Cuomo’s attorneys have centered his defense on attacking the credibility and motives of his accusers. Glavin has also blasted the investigation overseen by Attorney General Letitia James for not providing its findings and transcripts to Cuomo lawyers ahead of time, and for not including more material favorable to Cuomo in the report.

“It was shoddy. It was biased. It omits evidence, and it was an ambush,” Glavin said.

Dozens of state lawmakers who were once hesitant to call for Cuomo’s resignation or impeachment told the AP in recent interviews that they were swayed by the heft of the report.

“I think the majority of us feel that the governor is not in a position to lead the state any longer, and that’s not a temporary position,” said Assembly member John McDonald, a Democrat whose district includes Albany.

Cuomo has flat-out denied that he ever touched anyone inappropriately, but he acknowledged hugging and kissing aides and other individuals.

Glavin said it’s clear to Cuomo that people who “worked for him felt that he was invading their space and that it was unwanted.”

“He doesn’t believe it was inappropriate,” Glavin said. “He has seen what these women have said, and he does feel badly about this."

Meanwhile, the state Assembly’s judiciary committee planned to meet Monday to discuss when to conclude its monthslong investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach Cuomo.

The investigation has focused on sexual harassment and misconduct, the administration’s past refusal to release how many nursing home residents died of COVID-19, the use of state resources for Cuomo's $5 million book deal and efforts to prioritize COVID-19 tests for the governor's inner circle in spring 2020, when testing was scarce.

Some lawmakers want an impeachment vote in days, but committee members say the probe could wrap up in a month. State law requires at least 30 days between an Assembly impeachment vote and Senate impeachment trial.

Assembly member Amanda Septimo called for urgency.

“What we need to do the soonest is to get Cuomo out of power because of the way he uses it, like a weapon,” the Bronx Democrat said.

Democrats are increasingly worried about how Cuomo will affect political races in New York and potentially nationally, Septimo said.

“I’m willing to put money on how soon we see Cuomo’s face on an attack mailer somewhere in Ohio,” she said. “I feel like everyone’s calculus is bigger than themselves at this point, besides the governor.”

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would take over for Cuomo if a majority of the 150-member Assembly votes to impeach him.

Cuomo championed a sweeping law he signed in 2019 that mandated anti-harassment training, extended the statute of limitations and declared that accusers do not have to prove they were treated differently than other workers. It also lowered New York’s standard for sexual harassment to include unwanted conduct that rises above the level of “petty slights and trivial inconveniences.”

Many lawmakers have criticized the governor for failing to acknowledge that his unwelcome remarks and touching violated his administration’s own definition of sexual harassment, which is based on how a person feels despite the perpetrator’s intent.

Cuomo also faces scrutiny from federal prosecutors over his administration’s handling of COVID-19 nursing home data. And the state ethics commission is looking into the same issues that the Assembly is investigating.

In addition, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said Saturday that Cuomo could face misdemeanor charges if investigators substantiate Commisso's complaint. At least five district attorneys have asked for materials from the attorney general’s inquiry to see if any of the allegations could result in criminal charges.

The investigation concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed a state trooper with unwanted touching and suggestive remarks, a previously unknown account. Investigators found that the governor wanted to assign the trooper to his security detail after briefly meeting her, even though she lacked qualifications for the job.

Cuomo plans to address the allegation “very, very soon,” Glavin said.

She defended the governor’s interest as an effort to increase diversity after he found the trooper “impressive” for maintaining eye contact with him in a conversation.