Florida Democrat Congressman Tim Mahoney allegedly agreed to pay his ex-mistress $121,000 after she threatened to sue him for being fired, reports ABC News. Senior Democrat leaders also worked with Mahoney to keep the scandal under wraps.
Mahoney came to power in a campaign promising “a world that is safer, more moral” in the wake of a national gay cyber-sex scandal involving his Republican challenger, Mark Foley. Insiders say the married Mahoney began his affair with Patricia Allen during the campaign.
After winning the election in 2006, Mahoney hired Allen, at taxpayers expense, to work on his Congressional staff in Florida, for $36,000 a year.
Insiders say Allen was moved to the campaign staff after they complaints about the affair circulated in Washington.
When Allen learned that Mahoney was allegedly involved in other extra-marital relationships at the same time, she tried to end the relationship. Mahoney threatened Allen with losing her job, telling her, “you work at my pleasure”.
After Allen was fired, the 50-year old single mother of two threatened to sue the Congressman for more than a million dollars. Mahoney settled by paying for her court costs, a $121,000 cash payment and a two-year stint at Fletcher Rowley Chao Riddle, the marketing company that helped put Mahoney into his Congressional seat.
Senior Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives, including Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the chair of the Democratic Caucus, have been working with Mahoney to keep the matter from hurting his re-election campaign, the Mahoney staffers said.
A spokesperson for Emanuel denies that account, but said Emanuel did confront Mahoney “upon hearing a rumor” about an affair in 2007 and “told him he was in public life and had a responsibility to act accordingly.” The spokesperson added that it was a “private conversation” that had nothing to do with Mahoney’s re-election prospects.
More from TRP
- Democrat Congressman Mocks Minutemen
- ETB Rumor Squasher Taken Off Case
- GOP Reps: All Agree Iraq War “Horrible Mistake”
TRP Recommends
- The 99 Most Memorable, Interesting and Outrageous Political Quotes of 2008 (WesternFront America)
- Third US Carrier Arrives Off Iran (WesternFront America)
- Democrat Deceptions about Oil (WesternFront America)
Related posts:
0 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
You must be logged in to post a comment.