Gay Governor’s former wife will not sue for marriage fraud
The ex-wife of a US politician who came out while Governor of New Jersey has decided not to pursue a claim of fraud against him.
Dina Matos’ decision brings to an end one of the most publicly acrimonious divorces of recent times.
She had claimed that Jim McGreevey only married her to advance his political career.
In August a court ruled that the former Governor would not have to pay his wife any alimony but will have to pay more than $1,000 a month (£530) in child support for their six-year-old daughter.
He became America’s first openly gay Governor when he came out at a televised press conference four years ago, telling reporters : “My truth is that I am a gay American.”
He made a dramatic public confession of an affair with his former homeland security advisor, Golan Cipel and left office two months later, in November 2004.
Despite standing by her husband when he came out, their separation and divorce has been vicious.
The former Governor wrote a memoir, The Confession, and appeared on Oprah last year.
He shocked viewers with his confession of an encounter with a gay aide while his wife lay in bed in hospital following the difficult birth of their child.
He now lives with his boyfriend, Australian business executive Mark O’Donnell, and is training to be an Anglican priest.
A Roman Catholic while Governor, Mr MrGreevey has been attending Anglican services since 2004.
He has been accepted into a masters degree programme at the General Theological Seminary but it is several years before he would be considered for ordination.
Dina Matos Mc Greevey’s book, Silent Partner, came out earlier this year. She also appeared on Oprah.
Following the former Governor’s admissions, and further revelations of sexual encounters at highway rest stops, Mr McGreevey and his second wife began divorce proceedings.
Former McGreevey driver, Teddy Pedersen, has claimed he engaged in a consensual threesomes with the couple two years before Mr McGreevey became Governor.
Mrs Matos McGreevey said that was untrue but her husband admitted to the sexual encounters.
His estranged wife also rejected the claims by their former driver that she was aware that her husband was gay when she married him.
