Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledged Saturday that his first marriage was a failure and that he had an affair.
“During my first marriage, Kirsten and I went through difficult times because of my behavior,” Emhoff said. According to the statement: “I took responsibility and since then we have overcome this as a family and have bounced back stronger,” he said, according to information first obtained by CNN.
His comments were report An article about the incident from the Daily Mail.
A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that those who vetted Harris before she was selected as Biden’s running mate four years ago knew about the affair, and that Harris also knew about it before she married Emhoff a little over a decade ago, the person said.
His ex-wife, Kirsten, said in a statement on Saturday that the couple ended their marriage for “various reasons.”
Still, she added, “He has been a wonderful father to our children and remains a wonderful friend to me, and I am truly proud of the warm, supportive blended family that Doug, Kamala and I have created together.”
Emhoff’s comments come as Harris has risen to the top of the Democratic field after President Biden dropped out of the race last month and endorsed her. Harris has faced numerous attacks over her family situation and racial identity, particularly from Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), former President Donald Trump’s running mate.
In a video that has resurfaced online, Vance criticized Democrats, including Harris, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, for not having children, but in a separate speech he said he was not targeting people who cannot have children for biological or medical reasons.
“What does it mean that we’ve handed this country over to people who have no direct stake in it?” Vance said in 2021, calling Harris and others “childless cat ladies” and adding that “the entire future of the Democratic Party depends on childless people.”
The comments again sparked backlash among Democrats, with the Ohio senator emphasizing the word “irony” and again attacking Democrats as “anti-family.” Trump also defended his vice presidential pick.
However, Harris has two stepchildren with her younger son, Cole and Ella Emhoff.
The Hill has reached out to Harris’ campaign for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
