The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - Republican state Rep. Tim Grendell, criticized even by his own party for suggesting a top Senate Democrat might benefit from the OhioReads tutoring program, offered an apology Tuesday from the House floor.

Grendell, of Geauga County, directed his comments last week toward state Sen. Mark Mallory of Cincinnati, who was a co-sponsor of a resolution asking the General Assembly to ratify the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Grendell, who is white, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer for a story published Thursday that Mallory is "the only reason I might support the OhioReads program," referring to the state's volunteer tutoring program for schoolchildren.

Grendell also said he doubted that Mallory, who is black, would understand the U.S. Supreme Court's historic 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that allowed legal racial separation.

Grendell took the House floor Tuesday and apologized to Mallory, members of both the House and Senate and the citizens of Ohio.

Mallory was satisfied with Grendell's apology. "He apologized to me, he apologized to the members, he apologized to the people of Ohio, and I think it's time to move on."