Shame, shame, shame: Another political sex scandal in the big apple! Leading New York Republican Congressional candidate Matt Doheny was photographed kissing and groping a woman and frisking around with another in a bar…neither of whom were his fiancee! More details, pics, and video below…
Two days ago, a representative for GOP Congressional candidate Matt Doheny swore that photos of him kissing campaign consultant Monica Notzon were totally innocent. The photos were “out of context,” Monica protested.
So the New York Post stepped up and found more context: a video of Doheny simultaneously caressing Monica’s butt and a blonde woman’s lower back, from the night of the steakhouse smooches.
Doheny—who is scheduled to marry brunette fiancée Mary in June—is running for a seat in New York’s 23rd District, which he lost by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2010. He was in D.C. to attend the House Republians’ “candidate school”—two days of workshops and seminars for the fifteen “strongest GOP challengers in the country.”
He’s also a “party-hearty kind of guy,” according to the Post, which notes two “boating while impaired” arrests and a “Wall Street-type—go, go, go, work hard, play hard” attitude.
We haven’t heard from Doheny’s campaign about this new video, yet. Here is the press release sent out after our initial post.
For immediate release
Contact: Jude Seymour, (315) [redacted]DOHENY CAMPAIGN RESPONDS
TO HIT PIECE PUBLISHED BY
IRRESPONSIBLE BLOGGERTonight, Gawker’s Maureen O’Connor played right into the hands of Democratic operatives by manufacturing a story about two photographs that only she believes suggests impropriety between Matt Doheny and a female friend.
Two on-record sources told the blogger that nothing inappropriate took place. But that didn’t stop her from spreading lies in a desperate attempt to score page views and generate controversy.
“These pictures demonstrate nothing more than two old friends joking around as they sat with other friends,” said Doheny campaign spokesman Jude Seymour. “It’s sad that Democratic operatives would lay in wait as a group of friends enjoyed a nice evening, but then the Washington special interests will stop at nothing to keep Bill Owens in Congress.”
Seymour said the photos were taken on the patio at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. when Doheny was in town for meetings and a major party fundraiser. He said that Doheny was out with a bunch of friends when Doheny and a friend embraced and a picture was taken.
Doheny’s fiancé also weighed in on the alleged encounter.
“Matt and I are looking forward to being married this summer,” said Mary Reidy, who will marry Doheny in June. “This is a very special time in our lives. I am deeply saddened at the state of journalism and politics that a so-called ‘news’ source would run a picture so out of context.”
For what it’s worth, I don’t know if there was “impropriety.” Matt and Mary may very well have a strong relationship predicated on trust, love, and handsy nights with campaign strategists in different area codes. Play on, “play hard” player.
Anyone know when Matt Doheny’s bachelor party is?
UPDATE:Â Just heard back from Doheny press secretary Jude Seymour, whom I asked for comment on the video:
From: Jude Seymour
To: Maureen O’Connor
Date: Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: Gawker Media Request: Video of Doheny with two womenMaureen –
Is there a video?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerrySent him a hyperlink. Will update when he responds.
