Terry Mahoney, wife of U.S. Congressman Tim Mahoney, filed for divorce Monday in Palm Beach County, Florida. Over the last week, news outlets have discovered that Mahoney had an adulterous affair with a Congressional staffer, to whom he paid over $100,000 in hush money after the relationship ended. Mahoney then admitted to another affair with a Martin County, Florida government official whom he met when she sought his help in dealing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

She also claims, in her divorce petition, that Mahoney recently sold a jointly owned piece of property and moved all of the sale proceeds into an account in his name alone, then dissipated those funds.

Mahoney was elected to Congress two years ago, running on a “faith, family and personal responsibility” platform. He replaced Mark Foley – who resigned after x-rated emails he sent to young, male congressional pages were discovered. The bizarre situation even made it on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last week.

Terry Mahoney’s petition for dissolution requests a full accounting of all funds spent by Mahoney over the last two years as well as possession of their Palm Beach Gardens home. The Mahoneys have been married for 23 years and have a daughter in college. The most recent Congressional disclosures list Mahoney’s net worth between $3.2 million and $12.7 million.

Although Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to divorce, the courts will divide the Mahoneys’ property equitably or fairly. Evidence that marital assets were dissipated or wasted by Tim Mahoney (such as the six figure hush money payment) will usually result in a larger percentage of existing assets being awarded to his wife. The rationale behind this is not so much punishment but fairness. Basically, the court will tell Tim Mahoney that he already used that $100,000 (or whatever amounts they discover he dissipated) – without any benefit to his wife from those funds – so she will now get that much more in the property distribution.

Earlier this month, prior to news reports regarding the affairs, Mahoney was leading his Republican challenger in his re-election campaign. Recent polls now show him trailing by over 25 percentage points.

Terry Mahoney is represented by Stuart, Florida attorney Karen Steger. Tim Mahoney’s divorce attorney has not yet been disclosed.

Sources: The Palm Beach Post and TC Palm