Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon has resigned.

The Daily Herald ( http://is.gd/ufsTry) reports the embattled county leader announced his decision during his "state of the county" speech on Thursday morning. He says his last day will be May 31, because he wants to give the Democratic party enough time to pick his replacement.

Reardon, who is serving his third term, has been caught up in a political controversy. Staff members have been accused of harassing his political rivals. On Wednesday, the County Council removed some authority from his office.

Reardon says his family has suffered enough and is calling for an independent investigation.

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Information from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldnet.com