WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, facing accusations he paid a former aide to keep her quiet about their affair, admitted Tuesday he caused “embarrassment and heartache” to his family but denied doing anything illegal.
Mahoney did not directly address the purported tryst during a news conference, but instead issued a statement taking “full responsibility for my actions and the pain I have caused my wife, Terry, and my daughter, Bailey.”
“No marriage is perfect,” Mahoney said, “but our private life is our private life.”
He said he never misused campaign funds and was confident he will be cleared of wrongdoing.
He did not answer questions.
The statement came one day after ABC News reported Mahoney, 52, had an affair with an aide and paid her $121,000 to keep her quiet and avoid a sexual-harassment lawsuit. After the report, Mahoney called for an investigation into his own conduct by the House ethics committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also called for an inquiry.
Two years ago, Mahoney, campaigning on a promise to return morals and family values to Washington, won the seat after Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Foley resigned when it was revealed he had 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.
Republicans seized on the scandal. The seat is considered one of the more competitive House races. He faces former Army officer Tom Rooney, a lawyer whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.
