Rep. Jud McMillin's Facebook post says he is working with his family to remedy 'mistakes'

Former Indiana state Rep. Jud McMillin, who resigned from office this week after a sexually explicit video was sent from his cell phone, said Wednesday he is working with his family to remedy his mistakes.

McMillin’s comments came in a Facebook post that says he always does his best to “own up” to his mistakes. The post does not provide any details on what led to the Brookville Republican’s decision to leave his elected post in the Indiana House of Representatives.

“I make mistakes. When I do, regardless of how big or small they are, I do my best to admit them, own up to it, and then start doing my best to remedy them. That’s what I am doing right now with my family,” McMillin said.

Rep. Jud McMillin resigns after sex video emerges

McMillin has not responded to The Indianapolis Star’s repeated requests for comment.

McMillin, a rising star in the state’s Republican Party, abruptly resigned on Tuesday. The Star later learned that his resignation came after a sexually explicit video was sent via text message from his cellphone.

On Wednesday, it was still unclear who sent the text or how broadly it was distributed.

McMillin sent a separate text message apologizing to his contacts for “anything offensive” they may have received after he said he lost control of his cellphone.

As House majority floor leader, McMillin held the No. 3 leadership position in the Republican-controlled chamber. The caucus is now tasked with finding a replacement for the leadership position McMillin held.

In the hours since his resignation, many commenters on social media have criticized him.

McMillin said in his Facebook post he never understands people who “spew hatred.”

“I hope it makes those people feel better about themselves because there is no other discernible benefit. What a sad place for society to be,” he said in the post.

However, he thanked people who have shown him support.

“To those who choose this path, I encourage you to maintain your approach not only towards those you agree with and like, but towards those you disagree with as well. This is the only approach that can possibly help make the world a better place,” McMillin’s post said.

Details surrounding the video sent from McMillin’s phone remain unclear, so it’s too early to say whether he was a victim of revenge porn, which is the unauthorized release of a picture or video of someone else engaging in sex or in a state of nudity.

But a text message McMillin sent out last week suggested material may have been sent without his permission. “My phone was stolen in Canada and out of my control for about 24 hours,” the text message said. “I have just been able to reactivate it under my control. Please disregard any messages you received recently. I am truly sorry for anything offensive you may have received.”

Earlier this year, McMillin sat on a committee that refused to hear legislation that would have criminalized revenge porn in Indiana. State Rep. Christina Hale, an Indianapolis Democrat, introduced such legislation in January. But the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code declined to take it up.

Rep. Jud McMillin sat on committee that refused to hear revenge porn bill

McMillin was chairman of that committee until last year, when he was promoted to majority floor leader. He remained a member of the committee, but it would have been the new chairman, state Rep. Tom Washburne, an Evansville Republican, who made the decision not to hear Hale’s bill.

“While I do not have an understanding of the facts of this case, revenge porn certainly has hurt a lot of people and their families here in Indiana and even around the world,” Hale said Wednesday. “Emerging technology and social media platforms are making our lives easier and better connected, but we also face the darker side of these advances as well.”

Reporter Tim Evans contributed to this story.

Call Star reporter Chelsea Schneider at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @indystarchelsea.

Call Star reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony.