A New Jersey divorce court judge ruled on Friday that gay ex-Governor Jim McGreevey will not have to pay alimony to his ex-wife Dina Matos. McGreevey will have to pay his ex-wife a lump settlement and pay child support for daughter Jacqueline. Matos and McGreevey have been separated since the former governor of New Jersey issued a public statement in 2004 that he was a ‘gay American’ and had engaged in an extramarital affair with a male member of his staff.
Jim McGreevey resigned as governor of New Jersey in 2004 after revealing he had engaging in an extramarital affair with a man. In a now infamous speech, McGreevey announced to the world that he was a "gay American," while his wife Dina stood silently by his side. His wife claims she had no idea her husband was gay before the affair came to light.
However, Ted Pedersen, one of the ex-Governor's former drivers, claimed Dina Matos knew her husband was gay when the couple married. Pedersen released a statement earlier this year alleging that he had sex on multiple occasions with the couple. Pederson told the Newark Star-Ledger that the McGreeveys frequently hooked up with him to have threesomes, often after dinner at a local T.G.I. Friday's restaurant.
Dina Matos McGreevey told ABC News that Pedersen's accusations were "completely false and were prompted by Jim McGreevey." She claimed Pedersen's allegations were an attack orchestrated by her estranged husband to discredit her in the media. "He cannot stand it when I am receiving attention in the media rather than him," she said.
Jim McGreevey and Dina Matos’ divorce trial proceedings launched on May 6, 2008. In a decision handed down on Friday, New Jersey divorce court judge Karen M. Cassidy ruled that McGreevey would pay Matos a lump sum of just over $100,000 as well as a share of his pension, but he will not be required to pay alimony. Matos had asked for a nearly $1 million settlement, plus $2,500 a month in alimony.
Judge Cassidy determined, however, that McGreevey could not afford to pay such large amounts to Matos as she requested and still be able to afford child support. McGreevey is currently enrolled in seminary school and reportedly earns just under $50,000 a year at present.
McGreevey was also ordered to pay out $1,075 in child support for his daughter Jacqueline, who he will share custody of with his ex-wife. Matos had sought a higher amount of child support at $1,750 a month. As for Matos, she will be required to give half of the benefits in her 401k plan to McGreevey, plus $1,500 from a joint checking account.
Both parties will be responsible for paying their own legal fees, estimated at approximately $500,000 each, according to the New York Post.
