Mahoney admits affairs, ethics panel to investigate

On the same afternoon Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) admitted to multiple extramarital affairs, the House Ethics Committee announced it plans to grill him about the details. 

Friday afternoon Mahoney admitted he had multiple extramarital affairs and apologized for his “disgraceful” behavior, according to ABC News.

{mosads}"Let me just be explicit that I am admitting to it…to having affairs," Mahoney said in an interview with WPBF News, ABC’s affiliate in West Palm Beach. "My personal behavior has been unacceptable."

Mahoney did not say exactly how many other women he had affairs with. "I don't know what other women are going to come out," he said.

But he said the affair with Patricia Allen began during his 2006 campaign and had gone on intermittently until 2008. He said it was “totally inappropriate."

"I showed complete bad judgment on my part," he said, adding, "To allow myself to be put into that position was just stupid on my part."

He said that Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-Ill.) had confronted him in 2007 about the affair and said "if that's happening stop."

"It wasn't a discussion, it wasn't a meeting, it was a statement," Mahoney said.

And the House Ethics Committee announced late Friday afternoon that it is “reviewing” the matter and will interview Mahoney and others allegedly involved. The committee has yet to launch an investigative subcommittee and name its members, a step it usually takes when the allegations are serious or complex.

“The Committee is aware of media reports alleging that Representative Mahoney engaged in improper conduct related to personal relationships he may have had with one or more individuals,” Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), the ethics panel’s acting chairman, said in a statement. “We are reviewing this matter with Committee Rules and intend to interview Representative Mahoney and other parties who may have information about this matter.”

ABC News reported Monday that Mahoney paid a former aide $121,000 in hush money after the two engaged in an affair and he subsequently fired her from his campaign after she ended the relationship.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that Mahoney, who is married, was having an affair with another woman, a Martin County official, whom he helped win a federal grant from FEMA to reimburse the county in its cleanup efforts after hurricanes in 2004.

The FBI has begun its own preliminary investigation into the $121,000 payment, the FEMA grant and surrounding facts.

Mahoney and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Monday called on the House ethics committee to investigate the matter.

Once far ahead in the polls, the latest numbers show Mahoney’s numbers as plummeting well below those of GOP opponent Tom Rooney.  Mahoney is particularly vulnerable because he campaigned on a theme of restoring morals and family values to the district after then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) resigned just weeks before the 2006 election following reports that he had exchanged inappropriate communications with former male pages who had worked on the House floor.

Mahoney has apologized to his family and has denied violating his oath of office or breaking any laws.