Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey: My Wife And I Engaged In Threesomes With Young Aide

TRENTON, N.J. — He says yes. She says no. He says yes. Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey said Monday he and his wife and a male aide engaged in sexual threesomes, contradicting a denial issued hours earlier by his estranged wife.

In an e-mail to The Associated Press, the nation's first openly gay governor said published reports by former campaign aide Teddy Pedersen were true.

In interviews posted online Sunday night by The Star-Ledger of Newark and the New York Post, Pedersen said he had consensual sex with the couple for about two years before McGreevey became governor. He said he had contact only with Dina Matos McGreevey during the trysts, and wasn't sure whether McGreevey was gay.

In his statement, McGreevey said he and his estranged wife need to move forward for the sake of their 6-year-old daughter.

"This happened, this happened in the past, and now we need to move on with our lives," McGreevey, 50, said without being specific.

His e-mail to The Associated Press came shortly after one from Matos McGreevey. She said Pedersen's claims of consensual three-way sex "are completely false and were prompted by Jim McGreevey."

"Jim has had a close relationship with Pedersen since his days as mayor of Woodbridge, and arranged jobs for Pedersen from that time through his years as governor and beyond," said Matos McGreevey, 41. "They have continued their close relationship since Jim left office. This was obviously payback time for Pedersen."

The McGreeveys are in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. She accuses him of hiding his homosexuality before and during their marriage and has sued for damages. He has said she should have known he was gay.

Pedersen, 29, told the newspapers the threesomes went on for about two years during the McGreeveys' courtship and into their marriage. He said the trysts ended when McGreevey was elected governor in 2001.

Pedersen said he came forward because he was angry that Matos McGreevey was offering television commentary on the resignation of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who stepped down last week amid a call-girl scandal. During her commentary, Matos McGreevey said she was blindsided when her husband announced his homosexuality.

McGreevey resigned in 2004 after acknowledging an affair with a male staffer who he said was trying to blackmail him. The ex-staffer said he was sexually harassed by the Democratic governor.

The McGreeveys separated shortly after McGreevey's nationally televised speech in which he declared himself "a gay American."

Comments

[JonBFertippton]

12:35 PM on 03/18/2008

In the light of all these McGravy goings-on, Spitzer's dalliance seems innocent, normal, etc. and his successor has now also admitted to similar behavior. It seems to be fairly common in the upper stratosphere of politics. In Europe it wouldn't interest many voters.

On the other hand, the lurid gay sex scandal in the White House has been successfully hushed up all these years. This is the case of a gay call boy named Guckert who spent night after night in the White House, had a call-boy website, and received a press pass so that he could attend press conferences. W. called on him to lob him easy questions. SNL might classify them as pillow talk. Was Guckert servicing, W. and Laura? Or Rove? Or the White House cook? Who knows - everyone is a suspect - including our selectively uninquisitive media.

[PuddyKatz]

06:26 AM on 03/18/2008

Now the real problem I have is that the Teddy is the real victim. He was only in his early twenties when the gov and his wife manipulated him into this. No one is sticking up for Teddy Pedersen. He was probably some innocent college boy who didn't even know what he was getting into!

Look, Dina's been playing the victim card too long in this divorce. She seems to be out for as much money as she can get. This is standard divorce proceeding stuff. McGreevey had to let this out in order to damage Dina's character. It's tit for tat.

Finally all those attacks on the gov here are basically driven by homophobia. People just can't stand the idea that he may have contact with his child. But it appears Dina is just as bad as the gov.

[JoshMiami]

01:31 AM on 03/18/2008

wow so interesting .. i mean we dont have a war or economic problems, who cares about healthcare ..

[exeye]

01:26 AM on 03/18/2008

The only reason this is an issue - and a story - is because we, as a country, continue to be obsessesed with other's priviate lives, and equate thier sexual behavior to thier competency in thier chosen profession. Sometimes this sort of thing is part of a pattern of behavior that MIGHT reflect on thier abilities to perform thier official duties, but generally not.

As far as "blackmail", as one poster brought up - these issues are only "blackmailable" because WE (the American people) get so outraged over someone else's personal issues, that we demand thier resignations, and such, therefore putting any person at risk if these things are revealed. If we weren't so puritanical about such matters, no one could be "blackmailed over what would be a non-issue.

For myself, I would not only have preferred 7 more years of Bill Clinton in the White house, compared to bush, I would have helped pay for his "girlfriends".

[BigLib]

01:16 AM on 03/18/2008

Damn REPUBLICANS! Why can't they be as wholesome, pure and compassionate as us LIBS?!?

[gd7277467]

11:27 PM on 03/17/2008

DAMN HUFFPOST !

This is exactly the type of information Americans want, and deserve !

Gotta Go !

NASCAR's on !!!

[retreadite]

11:23 PM on 03/17/2008

Are any of these people Democrats? Weird how it isn't mentioned in the article.

[exeye]

01:29 AM on 03/18/2008

Are any of these people, people? Weird how the article doesn't mention that, and most readers don't seem to care.

[yossarrian]

10:09 PM on 03/17/2008

I like that...deceiving the state of NJ. This state is a vortex of deceit. Everyone is out to gauge, cheat, scam the system, take as much as they can get their dirty hands on and pass the buck down the line.
The 8 $billion SCC school builing fund- gone stolen, who gives a damn. The tens of millions looted from Newark's UMD, the states' hospital university, doesn't matter. NJ is a victim of death by a million cuts. Bled to death.
McGreevey and Whitman, by bonding, borrowed our state into bankruptcy and looted any assets left over. To add further insult the brokerage fees went to cronies and/or was passed along to other criminals. Hey listen, I could give a flying **** about gay guv and his addled ex and this whole utterly sick display of narcissism and immaturity except that as a NJ taxpayer no one has gotten screwed more royally than me.

[CanadianinNY]

10:07 PM on 03/17/2008

McGreevy seems malicious and disgraceful. What a sorry excuse of a father. I feel sorry for the poor child. It also seems this belated accusation of his wife is a calculated revenge and a way to tilt the divorce and her suite in his favour. These are the despicable actions of a spiteful man, who instead of feeling ashamed of his deception, he is trying to destroy the mother of his child by using one of his gigolos. What a loathsome character.

[SILVANUS]

11:40 AM on 03/18/2008

Hello, trim down the pills you're taking. The WIFE was banging the kid while Hubby watched, not vice versa, or else she would have no claims for so-called "deception." They're all whores, and the kid was in his twenties, by the way.

[rblackbird]

09:42 PM on 03/17/2008

The real story here is that McGreevy says he and his former wife should move on for the sake of their 6-year old daughter, at the same time confirming publicly Mr. Pedersen's salacious and cruel remarks. By his statement alone, McGreevy shows a very bitter and degraded personality, uncaring about the history he is writing for his daughter. His hypocrisy and lack of shame make him very hard to believe.

[Blazhay]

10:44 PM on 03/17/2008

The problem is that she's out there running her mouth, acting holier than thou. She was a willing participant. I was watching the tape of McGreevy's confession with her by his side. she didn't seem too shocked.

[Roose]

09:42 PM on 03/17/2008

McGreevy was sleaze then and is still sleaze. Why is this guy still trying to hurt his ex wife and child after all he has done,

[MNLaura]

09:07 PM on 03/17/2008

Four words on why this "threesome" should shut their individual mouths and move on:
Six. Year. Old. Daughter.

[AuntSam]

08:44 PM on 03/17/2008

He is pond scum. Does he care at all about his children? Obviously not. He is beneath contempt - not because he's gay - but because he's showing such disdain for his own progeny. He needs to shut up and go far, far away. I don't care if what he says is true (although I am loathe to believe it), it's his children who will be damaged the most - there is no reason good enough for him to come forward with this garbage.

[bessie1]

08:31 PM on 03/17/2008

Even if true, he is a disgusting pig who has no regard for his child.

[GrammyinPA]

08:21 PM on 03/17/2008

I don't think there is a more despicable form of life on earth than McGreevy.

This man has a young daughter; what the H--- is he thinking??