In February, Mayor Megan Barry of Nashville admitted to an affair with the head of her security department, and begged her city for forgiveness.
Five weeks later, she exited the office she held for two and half years by pleading guilty to a felony charge of theft of property. What happened in Nashville shows the consequences β at least for a female β when sex and politics collide in office and misuse of public money is part of the story.
Barry acknowledged the truth, accepted responsibility, and departed a job she loved. That certainly sets her apart from Republican Governor Eric Greitens of Missouri , who is resisting calls to resign after being charged with felony invasion of privacy in connection with an affair that occurred before he won election.
Greitens admitted to the relationship. He denies that and awaits trial, still in office. His past is flush with women who claim to have had sex with him while he was married. He denies all. But the money is another matter. Daniels, an adult film star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she had an affair with Trump that began in , when he was a reality TV star. Cohen ultimately acknowledged he had paid Daniels, but insisted neither the Trump campaign nor the Trump organization knew anything about it.
Meanwhile, two Democrats in Congress are asking the FBI to investigate the payments, arguing that any coordination with Trump or his campaign would violate federal election law. The New York Times also reports that Karen McDougal , a former Playboy model who also said she had an affair with Trump, is seeking to be released from a legal agreement binding her to silence about the relationship.
