AP: Rep. Sherwood paying ex-mistress about $500,000

BY MICHAEL RUBINKAM ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A Republican congressman accused of abusing his ex-mistress agreed to pay her about $500,000 in a settlement last year that contained a powerful incentive for her to keep quiet until after Election Day, a person familiar with the terms of the deal told The Associated Press.

Rep. Don Sherwood is locked in a tight re-election race against a Democratic opponent who has seized on the four-term congressman’s relationship with the woman. While Sherwood acknowledged the woman was his mistress, he denied abusing her and said that he had settled her $5.5 million lawsuit on confidential terms.

The settlement, reached in November 2005, called for Cynthia Ore to be paid in installments, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is confidential. She has received less than half the money so far, and will not get the rest until after the Nov. 7 election, the person said Thursday.
[…]
Sherwood, a 65-year-old married father of three who is considered a family-values conservative, had one of the safest seats in Congress until Ore sued him in June 2005, alleging he physically abused her throughout their five-year affair.

Reached by telephone Wednesday, the congressman and successful car dealer said: “I can neither confirm nor deny because this was a private settlement. If I’d like to talk to you about it, I can’t.”

The Associated Press has been trying for months to find out the terms of the settlement.

AP: The House Of Cards Continues To Collapse [via Inquirer]

Phawker Says: Speaking as someone only two generations out of the mines in the very coal-cracker country Sherwood reps, seeing the truth come out just in time almost makes us wanna polka. Almost. Also, being from Allentown (YO REPRESENT) the dateline caught our eye. Sherwood doesn’t rep that part of Pennsyltucky — the 10th District is the upper right corner of the state — and the article is very vague about this woman’s whereabouts and we wonder if the Allentown dateline is subtle clue. This is allegedly a photo of the woman. Judging by that photo I would say there is VERY good chance that woman is in Allentown.