U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fla., allegedly agreed to pay his former girlfriend and staff member $121,000 to keep her from suing him for sexual harassment. "You work at my pleasure," Mahoney was heard telling his former mistress on a Jan. 20, 2008, telephone call that was recorded. He then fired her, saying, "The only person that matters is guess who? Me. You understand that. That is how life really is. That is how it works." Mahoney was elected to represent West Palm Beach in Congress after a sex scandal brought down Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.. Mahoney's wife, Terry, filed for divorce in October after 23 years of marriage. In November, he lost his bid for re-election to Republican Tom Rooney.
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