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Highlands Today

Mahoney Says He Did Not Violate Any Laws

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Highlands Today Staff

Published: October 14, 2008

WEST PALM BEACH - A day after media reports surfaced that Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney had carried on an affair with a former aide and paid to keep her quiet, he issued a press release Tuesday saying he takes "full responsibility for my actions and the pain I have caused my wife Terry and my daughter Bailey," but denied misusing campaign funds.

In his press release, he did not directly admit to having an affair.

ABC News reported Monday that Mahoney had agreed to give $121,000 in March to a former mistress and staff member, Patricia Allen, 50, after being threatened with a sexual harassment lawsuit.

The network, citing unnamed current and former Mahoney staff members, said the congressman began his affair with Allen in 2006 while he was campaigning for Congress, promising to return morals to Washington.

Mahoney won the race after former Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Foley resigned when it was revealed he sent lurid Internet messages to male teenage pages who had worked on Capitol Hill. Foley was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by state and federal authorities.

"I would have come forward earlier but making sure my family is ok is far more important than any political career. I have not violated my oath of office, nor have I violated any laws, and I consider this to be a private matter," the statement added.

Mahoney denied misusing campaign funds and requested "that the House Ethics Committee investigate the false allegations that have been repeated in the press."

"I want to be clear that I have not misused campaign funds and I'm confident that when all the facts come to light, I will be cleared of any wrongdoing," the statement added.

Mahoney's bid to earn another term representing a district that has traditionally leaned slightly Republican was already considered one of the more competitive House races this fall.

A Mahoney spokesperson told ABC that Allen resigned willingly and "has not received any special payment from campaign funds."

"While these allegations are based on hearsay, I believe that my constituents need a full accounting," Mahoney, who faces a Republican challenger in November's election, said in a press release Monday. "As such, I have requested the House Ethics Committee to review these allegations. I am confident that when the facts are presented that I will be vindicated."

In addition to the cash payment, ABC News reported that Mahoney promised Allen a $50,000 a year job for two years at the agency that handles his campaign advertising.

That company, Nashville, Tenn.-based Fletcher Rowley Chao Riddle Inc., resigned from Mahoney's campaign later Monday.

"Tim Mahoney apparently included our company in a secret legal settlement without the knowledge of our firm. Our firm did not agree to any legal settlement," CEO Bill Fletcher said in a release. "If these allegations are true, Tim Mahoney's actions are unacceptable and not in line with FRCR's business ethics."

Mahoney is facing a stiff challenge in the November election. Former Army officer Tom Rooney, a lawyer whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Palm Beach County dog track, is mounting a well-funded race aiming to win back the district for Republicans.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, heard rumors about an affair in early 2007 and confronted Mahoney, a spokeswoman said Monday.

"Upon hearing a rumor, Congressman Emanuel confronted Congressman Mahoney, told him he was in public life and had a responsibility to act accordingly and appropriately, and urged him to do so," the spokeswoman said. "They had no further conversations on this topic."

Friends of Allen's told ABC News that she wanted to end the affair, but Mahoney threatened to fire her is she did so.

"You work at my pleasure," Mahoney told Allen on a January 20, 2008 recorded telephone call, a portion of which was provided to ABC.

"If you do the job that I think you should do, you get to keep your job. Whenever I don't feel like you're doing your job, then you lose your job," Mahoney can be heard telling Allen.

"You're fired," he continued. "Do you hear me?"

Allen then asks why she is being fired, indicating there is another reason than her apparent inability to do her job.

"There is no why else," Mahoney responded.

"You're firing me for other reasons," Allen said on the call. "You don't, you're not man enough to say it. So why don't you say it."

The Associated Press contributed to the story.

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