BEDFORD - Bedford County District Attorney William Higgins apologized to the county's Republican committee and resigned as vice chairman of the group Tuesday night, nearly a month after the elected county official had sex with a woman in his office at the courthouse.

The special executive session was held at the request of Higgins, chairman Gilbert Verdiglione said in a statement read aloud after the hour-and-a-half long meeting held at member Chuck Slick's house about a mile from the courthouse.

About 15 committee members gathered at the home, including Higgins, Verdiglione, former commissioner Mike Shaffer and secretary Tonya Clark.

Higgins, looking serious and wearing a suit and tie, arrived with Verdiglione.

The members emerged from the house at once, with Higgins and Verdiglione leading.

The written statement said Higgins was resigning his committee position "so that he could spend more time with his family and continue to work through this very difficult situation."

A sullen-looking Higgins said after the meeting that his family and job need all his attention.

"Quite frankly, I need to focus on my family," he said. "My two focuses right now are my family and my job. I need to get back to focus in on these things."

Verdiglione's statement also said that the "leadership of the Republican Party does not condone nor excuse the actions of Mr. Higgins, but respects that he has taken full responsibility of his actions."

"They're also supportive of me in my capacity as district attorney," Higgins said, adding he did not intend to resign as the county's top prosecutor. "Nobody, even at the meeting, called for resignation. We do not feel that it is necessary.

"I have a job to do," Higgins said. "I've done my job. I know that I can still continue to serve the people of Bedford County."

The sexual incident took place last month after a Republican committee meeting. Higgins said alcohol did not play a factor in the incident.

"I made a serious mistake," he said. "But I'm not making excuses."

State Attorney General Tom Corbett's office said last week that they were not investigating the situation because a criminal complaint had not been filed.

Mirror Staff Writer Wendy McCardle is at 946-7520.