Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledged Saturday that he had an extramarital affair years ago that contributed to the breakup of his first marriage. “During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions,” Emhoff said in a statement, first reported by CNN. “I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side.” He issued the statement after the Daily Mail reported on the matter.
Quick Read
- Doug Emhoff acknowledges affair: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff admitted that an extramarital affair contributed to the breakup of his first marriage.
- Statement details: Emhoff stated that he took responsibility for his actions and worked through the issues with his family, coming out stronger.
- Pre-election knowledge: The affair was known to Vice President Kamala Harris and her team before she was selected as President Biden’s running mate.
- Marriage timeline: Emhoff and Harris met in 2013, married in 2014, and it was Harris’ first marriage and Emhoff’s second.
- Family support: Emhoff’s ex-wife, Kerstin Emhoff, issued a statement supporting him and praised the blended family they have built with Harris.
- Positive co-parenting: Kerstin Emhoff described Harris as a loving and protective co-parent to her children, Ella and Cole.
The Associated Press has the story:
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledges affair contributed to breakup for 1st marriage
Newslooks- WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) —
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledged Saturday that he had an extramarital affair years ago that contributed to the breakup of his first marriage. “During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions,” Emhoff said in a statement, first reported by CNN. “I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side.” He issued the statement after the Daily Mail reported on the matter.
The affair was known to the team that vetted Vice President Kamala Harris before President Joe Biden picked her to be his running mate in 2020, according to a person familiar with the events who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. Harris knew about the affair before she married Emhoff, the person said.
Emhoff and Harris met on a blind date in 2013 and married the following year. It was her first marriage and his second. Harris’ stepchildren, Ella and Cole Emhoff, were teenagers when their father remarried. Kerstin Emhoff has spoken positively of Harris as a “co-parent” of her daughters and as “loving, nurturing, fiercely protecting and always present.” She issued a statement supporting her ex-husband after he acknowledged the affair.
“Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago,” she said. “He is a great father to our kids, continues to be a great friend to me and I am really proud of the warm and supportive blended family Doug, Kamala, and I have built together.”
