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, N.J. (AP) - Former Gov. Jim McGreevey didn't plan to torment his wife
while they were married, a judge in their divorce case ruled Thursday, while
allowing her to continue with a claim of marriage fraud.
The judge dismissed Dina Matos McGreevey's claim of emotional distress
against her estranged gay husband.
"Mr. McGreevey was not out to destroy her emotionally," Superior Court Judge
Karen Cassidy said.
Cassidy said she would permit the fraud claim to continue for now, but
warned, "That does not guarantee the defendant will be successful in trying
her claim."
Matos McGreevey claims she was duped into marrying a gay man who sought the
cover of a wife to hide his homosexuality and further his political
ambitions. He claims he provided companionship and a child, thus fulfilling
his part of the marriage contract.
The pretrial hearing came less than a week after McGreevey, 50, said claims
that he and his wife engaged in threesomes with a male aide were true; Matos
McGreevey, 41, denied they happened.
Arriving with her attorney Thursday, Matos McGreevey said only "no comment"
as she entered the courthouse. McGreevey also attended the hearing and said
nothing on his way into or out of the courthouse.
His lawyer, Stephen Haller, said the judge's rulings encouraged his legal
team. "Read between the lines," he said of the judge's words of caution in
allowing the fraud claim to proceed.
Cassidy told the former first couple that their divorce trial, scheduled to
start May 6, would get ugly.
"We all know what happened this week," she said. "What evidence will likely
be heard in this case, this week was just the tip of the iceberg."
In interviews with The Star-Ledger of Newark and the New York Post, former
McGreevey driver Teddy Pedersen said he had consensual sex with the couple
for about two years before McGreevey became governor. He said he had contact
only with Dina Matos McGreevey during the trysts and wasn't sure whether
McGreevey was gay.
Pedersen, 29, said he came forward to support McGreevey's contention that
his wife had to have known he was gay when they married. She says she had no
clue.
Cassidy also agreed during Thursday's three-hour court proceeding to allow
testimony from a financial expert hired by Matos McGreevey. McGreevey sought
to bar CPA Kalman Barson's report, which claims she is entitled to much more
money than what the ex-governor says he can afford to pay.
She is seeking $600,000 in compensation for the time she would have spent at
the governor's mansion had he not resigned.
That estimate includes keeping with the "Drumthwacket lifestyle," which
included use of state police helicopters, a personal assistant, household
staff and use of the state's beach house. Drumthwacket is the governor's
mansion.
Before McGreevey became governor, he made $52,000 a year as mayor of
Woodbridge, and the couple lived in a condominium.
McGreevey left office in 2004 after acknowledging an affair with a male
staffer who he said was trying to blackmail him. The ex-staffer denies being
gay or having an affair, and said he was sexually harassed by the Democratic
governor.
Cassidy also heard arguments on the custody of their 6-year-old daughter,
but barred the media from that portion of the hearing. The judge this week
sealed court records relating to the girl.
--
Obama: 'I Trusted Rezko'
while they were married, a judge in their divorce case ruled Thursday, while
allowing her to continue with a claim of marriage fraud.
The judge dismissed Dina Matos McGreevey's claim of emotional distress
against her estranged gay husband.
"Mr. McGreevey was not out to destroy her emotionally," Superior Court Judge
Karen Cassidy said.
Cassidy said she would permit the fraud claim to continue for now, but
warned, "That does not guarantee the defendant will be successful in trying
her claim."
Matos McGreevey claims she was duped into marrying a gay man who sought the
cover of a wife to hide his homosexuality and further his political
ambitions. He claims he provided companionship and a child, thus fulfilling
his part of the marriage contract.
The pretrial hearing came less than a week after McGreevey, 50, said claims
that he and his wife engaged in threesomes with a male aide were true; Matos
McGreevey, 41, denied they happened.
Arriving with her attorney Thursday, Matos McGreevey said only "no comment"
as she entered the courthouse. McGreevey also attended the hearing and said
nothing on his way into or out of the courthouse.
His lawyer, Stephen Haller, said the judge's rulings encouraged his legal
team. "Read between the lines," he said of the judge's words of caution in
allowing the fraud claim to proceed.
Cassidy told the former first couple that their divorce trial, scheduled to
start May 6, would get ugly.
"We all know what happened this week," she said. "What evidence will likely
be heard in this case, this week was just the tip of the iceberg."
In interviews with The Star-Ledger of Newark and the New York Post, former
McGreevey driver Teddy Pedersen said he had consensual sex with the couple
for about two years before McGreevey became governor. He said he had contact
only with Dina Matos McGreevey during the trysts and wasn't sure whether
McGreevey was gay.
Pedersen, 29, said he came forward to support McGreevey's contention that
his wife had to have known he was gay when they married. She says she had no
clue.
Cassidy also agreed during Thursday's three-hour court proceeding to allow
testimony from a financial expert hired by Matos McGreevey. McGreevey sought
to bar CPA Kalman Barson's report, which claims she is entitled to much more
money than what the ex-governor says he can afford to pay.
She is seeking $600,000 in compensation for the time she would have spent at
the governor's mansion had he not resigned.
That estimate includes keeping with the "Drumthwacket lifestyle," which
included use of state police helicopters, a personal assistant, household
staff and use of the state's beach house. Drumthwacket is the governor's
mansion.
Before McGreevey became governor, he made $52,000 a year as mayor of
Woodbridge, and the couple lived in a condominium.
McGreevey left office in 2004 after acknowledging an affair with a male
staffer who he said was trying to blackmail him. The ex-staffer denies being
gay or having an affair, and said he was sexually harassed by the Democratic
governor.
Cassidy also heard arguments on the custody of their 6-year-old daughter,
but barred the media from that portion of the hearing. The judge this week
sealed court records relating to the girl.
--
Obama: 'I Trusted Rezko'
