Florida Congressman Pays $121,000 To Former Mistress?

Florida Congressman Tim Mahoney has been trying very hard to keep this news from going public, but it's now being reported that he apparently paid $121,000 to a former mistress and promised much more.

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."

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.

So, who is this Democrat Tim Mahoney?

He's the guy who replaced disgraced Republican Mark Foley who was forced to resign over the page scandal (and for which no criminal charges were ever brought). (HT: Florida Lady at LGF)

What is it with Florida?

UPDATE:
As Ace notes, don't expect the media to take this up as a sign that the Democrats are thoroughly involved in a culture of corruption that protects their own from "indiscretions" and demands that the Democrats lose power in Congress.

There will be no such calls. The media will simply note this as an isolated instance, and not the reason for sweeping the Democrats from power, which in part is what happened in 2006.

UPDATE:
I think someone ought to investigate and see whether this is true. Speaker Pelosi claims that she just learned about this growing scandal. I don't quite believe her given that Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and the Democratic caucus have been working to keep this matter hushed up.

You wouldn't want to spoil the "most ethical Congress ever" with yet another scandal not with the November elections fast approaching.

Throw in the fact that Emanuel was on the forefront of those Democrats screaming for Foley's head on a platter and you get the idea of the stench of hypocrisy emanating from Congress these days.