A Florida State House Republican candidate on Monday apologized for lying about her degree from the Miami University, days after questions were raised over the authenticity of her claims.
Melissa Howard, who is contesting from Florida’s 73rd House District, regretted her decision to lie leading to the setting of a “bad precedent” for someone running for a public office.
“I would like to apologize to my family and my supporters for this situation. It was not my intent to deceive or mislead anyone. I made a mistake in saying I completed my degree. What I did was wrong and set a bad example for someone seeking public service,” reads the statement.
On Tuesday, August 7 FLA News reported that Howard never graduated from the Miami University in Ohio as claimed by her campaign website.
She later posted a picture of her posing with a fake college diploma on Facebook.
The university on Monday also stepped forward to clear the air surrounding the controversy by rejecting the claims of the Republican candidate.
“The picture of the diploma that was posted on the Howard for House 73 Facebook page does not appear to be an accurate Miami University diploma,” Robin Parker, general counsel for the Miami University, told Herald-Tribune.
“The picture of the diploma shows that Melissa Marie Fox received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing degree from Miami University on December 20, 1996. We have no such record of a degree,” Parker wrote in an emailed reply to newspaper questions.
Meanwhile, Howard has said that she will be staying in the race for the state house.