Married governor quits after gay affair
New Jersey governor James McGreevey has resigned, admitting he had an extra-marital affair with another man.
“My truth is that I am a gay American,” the married father-of-two said.
“Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony. It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexcusable.”
The Democrat said his resignation would be effective from November 15.
McGreevey said he would step down because his secret – both his sexuality and his affair – left the governor’s office vulnerable.
McGreevey, a Democrat and former suburban mayor, took office two and a half years ago.
Despite inheriting a five billion-dollar budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans, instead raising taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes.
But he has been dogged by several scandals involving fund-raising.
Among those caught up in recent scandals were his first chief of staff and former counsel, a top Democratic fund-raiser and former high school classmate and property developer Charles Kushner, McGreevey’s biggest campaign contributor, who was charged with trying to thwart a federal campaign-finance investigation.
McGreevey is the second governor to resign in recent weeks. In June, Connecticut governor John Rowland, a Republican, quit amid corruption investigations and threats of impeachment.
