Foley Successor Embroiled In Own Allegations of Misconduct

Is the West Palm Beach congressional seat prone to sex scandals, or is it just us?

Congressman Tim Mahoney, the Democrat who replaced disgraced representative Mark Foley, agreed to pay a former mistress — who was also a staff member — $121,000 after she threatened to sue him, ABCNews.com reports.

From The Blotter:

Mahoney, who is married, also promised the woman, Patricia Allen, a $50,000 a year job for two years at the agency that handles his campaign advertising, the staffers said.

A Mahoney spokesperson would not answer questions about the alleged affair or the settlement, but said Allen resigned of her own accord and “has not received any special payment from campaign funds.”

. . . The affair between Mahoney and Allen began, according to the current and former staffers, in 2006 when Mahoney was campaigning for Congress against Foley, promising “a world that is safer, more moral.”

Later in the article there’s this kicker:

Senior Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives, including Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), 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.

Late update: Later in the article, there’s a transcript and a recording of Mahoney firing Allen. It’s pretty damning.

“The only person that matters is guess who? Me. You understand that. That is how life really is. That is how it works,” Mahoney can be heard yelling on the call to Allen.

Listen to the audio below. Full transcript after the jump.

Click To Play

MAHONEY: You’re fired. It’s correct. It’s what I believe. You’re fired. Do you hear me? Don’t tell me whether it’s correct or not.

ALLEN: Tell me why else I’m fired.

MAHONEY: There is no why else.

ALLEN: Yeah there is.

MAHONEY: No–just you’re fired because I said that you y’know … not the judge and the jury. Ok? You’re fired. D’you hear me? Call what’s her name in Anchorage, Alaska if you want to keep on thinkin’ like y’know that I’m not being fair or somehow this is a negotiation. This, this is not a negotiation. Ok? Y’know, you’re not in a position to negotiate with me on this. Ok? My position. Ok? You work at my pleasure. Do you understand what that means?

ALLEN: What does it mean?

MAHONEY: It means that you work at my pleasure. If you’re doing the job that I think that 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. And guess what? The only person that matters is–guess who? Me. Do you understand that? Now this is how life really is. This is how it works.

ALLEN: Really? You know that–

MAHONEY: You don’t have a job.

ALLEN: –you’re upset about something else.

MAHONEY: No I’m not I’m not upset about something else. I’m upset because we continue to have this discussion and you continue to try to push it someplace where it’s not supposed to be. I was furious at you because I couldn’t find you. Right? And your job was–

ALLEN: I excused myself and walked three feet out the door. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

MAHONEY: You were not waiting for me when I got back. That’s what your job is. You weren’t there.

ALLEN: I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

MAHONEY: No you were not. You’re fired. You’re fired. Call whatsher name up and do it. You’re fired. I don’t want to talk about it any more. I’m not negotiating with you anymore. You’re done. Ok? So call Cherry tomorrow and if you don’t, you you won’t get your last paycheck. Ok? And let me tell you something else. If I find out you say anything else, you won’t get your last paycheck.

ALLEN: Like what? What do you think I’m going to say?

MAHONEY: I don’t give a ****, ok? But if you say anything, you won’t get your last paycheck.

ALLEN: I’m owed also my expenses. As well as money out of my pocket at church today.

MAHONEY: I’ll take care of all of that when you do your job. OK? You want to keep negotiating?

ALLEN: I thought I didn’t have a job. What job am I supposed to do to get my expenses?

MAHONEY: Just fill out your expense report and I’ll pay you off, pay all your expenses. And you’re done. Ok? You can’t call me. You’re don’t understand me. Ok? You keep pissin’ me off because every time I get you on the phone you keep telling me I’m wrong.

ALLEN: You are wrong.

MAHONEY: Oh I’m wrong. Guess what? You don’t have a job. Ok? You’re right and you don’t have a job. Guess what? How does that make you feel?

ALLEN: I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

MAHONEY: No you weren’t.

ALLEN: And I did a very good job. I did everything I was supposed to do.

MAHONEY: You did a **** job and you’re fired.

ALLEN: And you’re firing me for other reasons and you’re not man enough to say it. Why don’t you say it? Why don’t you say it and be a man for once?