Nashville mayor admits to affair with head of security detail

"I accept full responsibility for the pain I have caused my family and his. I am so sorry to my husband Bruce, who has stood by me in my darkest moments and remains committed to our marriage, just as I am committed to repairing the damage I have done," Barry said in a statement posted Wednesday to Nashville's city website.

Barry told The Tennessean newspaper she won't be resigning from office over the matter.

"I also must apologize to the people of Nashville who elected me to serve as your mayor. I knew my actions could cause damage to my office and the ones I loved, but I did it anyway. I must hold myself to the highest standard of which the voters deserve to expect. Please know that I'm disappointed in myself but also understand that I'm a human and that I made a mistake," the statement continued.

Barry, a Democrat, entered office in 2015. She confirmed to the Tennessean that she had an affair with Sgt. Robert Forrest Jr., which began in mid-2016. He submitted his retirement papers and his final day was Wednesday, the Tennessean reported.

According to the paper, Forrest was the person who broke the news that her son died from a drug overdose last July. And the two were often partaking in domestic and international travel for work, which led Forrest to rack up $33,000 in expenses and $50,000 plus in overtime in 2017 on top of his $84,500 salary. Nine of the trips were only attended by Barry and Forrest.

During a news conference Wednesday evening, Barry said the relationship was "over," but did not say when the relationship ended.