COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For nearly two weeks, Attorney General Marc Dann has been fighting calls for his resignation, stating that he wants to go back to work for the people of Ohio. On Wednesday, Dann succumbed to the immense pressure to resign, announcing he will step down from his position, effective immediately.

State officials began seeking Dann's resignation after a scandal inside his office that resulted in the firing of two top aides amid a sexual harassment investigation.

The announcement was made during a news conference held by Dann and Gov. Ted Strickland late Wednesday afternoon.

"Unfortunately, it is now clear that the last step I must taken to fix these problems is to resign as attorney general effective immediately," Dann said. "It is my belief that this will preserve the good work being done by the office of attorney general."

RAW VIDEO: Click Here To Watch Full Clip Of Dann's Resignation

Dann said he will now focus on his family, but did not give any indication of his future career plans.

Immediately after making his statement, Dann left the news conference without taking any questions, NBC 4's Patrick Preston reported.

The following are excerpts from Dann's official resignation letter to Gov. Strickland:

"It is with sadness and regret that I tender my resignation as Attorney General of Ohio, effective immediately."

"I apologize and accept responsibility for failing to give an administrative backbone worthy of the great legal work being done."

"I apologize and accept responsibility for not conducting my personal life in a way that is consistent with the important mission of the office."

"My conduct has caused the creation of a firestorm of negative publicity that has reached the point where it is preventing the great professionals in the office from doing their important work."

Gov. Strickland said Dann, "did the honorable thing by resigning today. We are pleased that he has tendered his resignation."

Strickland also issued the following statement following the announcement:

"This decision will allow the important work of the Attorney General's office to continue without the distraction caused by recent events."

"Today is a sad day in many ways. I think it is appropriate for us all to acknowledge the personal pain and anguish that these events have caused the Attorney General, his family members, his staff and others."

"Marc has accomplished much during the relatively short time he has occupied the office of Attorney General. The Attorney General and his professional staff have done meaningful work to promote environmental and consumer protection, foreclosure prevention, and health care accessibility."

"I'm hopeful that today's announcement will allow the professional staff at the Attorney General's office to continue the important work in these and other areas. As I have said in the past, the office of the Attorney General is more important than any one person because in many cases it is all that stands between the people and the powerful."

According to Strickland, First Assistant Attorney General Tom Winters will assume authority of Attorney General until Strickland appoints an interim Attorney General. He said he has not yet decided on a replacement.

MORE: Who Is Tom Winters?

When asked what he was looking for in the next attorney general, Strickland replied, "maturity."

When asked about Lt. Governor Lee Fisher as a possible replacement, Strickland said he would consider Fisher for any important position.

Strickland said neither he nor his office made any sort of deal with Dann in exchange for his resignation.

Strickland said state Inspector General Tom Charles will continue his investigation into the AG's office, NBC 4's Lauren Diedrich reported.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said he met with Charles on Wednesday and that he expects the investigation to last 60 to 90 days.

If criminal charges are filed as a result of the investigation, those charges will be filed through O'Brien's office.

There was wide speculation on Tuesday that Dann would announce his resignation, but his office issued several statements, saying that Dann would continue to do his job.

House democrats filed nine articles of impeachment against Dann on Tuesday, outlining why he should be impeached, including gross neglect of duties and making misleading statements under oath.

Also on Tuesday, Gov. Strickland signed Senate Bill 3, which amended state law to allow the inspector general's office to look into the attorney general's office. Before the bill's passing, the inspector general could only investigate state agencies and the governor's office.

The scandal began in early April, when two female employees claimed they were sexually harassed by Anthony Gutierrez, the then-director of general services for the Attorney General's office. Gutierrez and then-director of communications Leo Jennings were placed on leave during the internal investigation.

Then, on May 2, the results of the investigation were released, resulting in the termination of Gutierrez and Jennings.

Ed Simpson, chief of Policy and Administration, and Dann's scheduler, Jessica Utovich, also resigned.

During a news conference regarding the investigation's findings, Dann admitted to having a romantic relationship with a member of his staff during what he called a rough time in his marriage.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS: Scandal In Attorney General's Office

PREVIOUS STORIES:
May 13, 2008: Senator: Dann's Resignation Imminent
May 13, 2008: House Democrats File For Impeachment Of Dann
May 12, 2008: Inspector General May Soon Investigate AG's Office
May 11, 2008: Ohio Dems Strip Dann Of Endorsement
May 9, 2008: Dann Addresses Calls For Resignation
May 8, 2008: AG's Office Releases Dann's Schedule
May 7, 2008: Dann's Impeachment Process Slows Quickly
May 6, 2008: Ohio Dems Talk Impeachment After AG Refuses To Resign
May 5, 2008: Women React To Dann's Refusal To Resign
May 5, 2008: Dann Continues To Work Despite Calls For Resignation
May 2, 2008: 2 Fired In AG Office Investigation
May 2, 2008: Dann Admits To Romantic Relationship With Staff Member
April 29, 2008: Ohio Attorney General's Office Considering New E-mail Policy
April 29, 2008: Did Accuser In AG Investigation Get Job Because Of Car Crash?
April 25, 2008: Scandal Reveals Lack Of Restraint At State Office
April 24, 2008: Patrol Investigates If State Vehicle Were Crashed
April 22, 2008: Police: Criminal Charges Will Not Be Filed Against State Aide
April 22, 2008: NBC 4 Investigates Attorney General's Inbox
April 21, 2008: NBC 4 Awaits E-mails From Attorney General's Office
April 18, 2008: Criminal Complaint Filed In AG Investigation
April 17, 2008: Investigators Search For State Employee's Phone Messages
April 16, 2008: Officials Release Sexual Harassment Complaints
April 15, 2008: NBC 4 Gets Details In AG's Office Sexual Harassment Claim
April 14, 2008: 2nd Top Administrator Placed On Leave
April 7, 2008: State Employee On Leave Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations