Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 husband, Doug Emhoff, acknowledged on Saturday that he had an affair during his first marriage, a period he said he\u2019s taken \u201cresponsibility\u201d for.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions. I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side,\u201d he said in a statement, obtained by POLITICO.<\/p>\n
The second gentleman\u2019s response, first reported by CNN<\/a>, came after the Daily Mail<\/a> reported that Emhoff had a relationship with one of his young daughter\u2019s teachers at the time, which ultimately led to the end of his first marriage in 2009. Emhoff did not comment on the details of the Daily Mail report, some of which were not independently confirmed by POLITICO.<\/p>\n Harris knew about the affair prior to their marriage in 2014, according to a person familiar, granted anonymity to speak openly about the sensitive subject. It was also known to those who conducted vetting of the vice president contenders during President Joe Biden\u2019s campaign in 2020.<\/p>\n Emhoff\u2019s two children with his first wife, Kerstin Emhoff, are now adults, and she has spoken fondly about Harris as a stepmother in recent years. She has recently defended the vice president and their close relationship, as footage of GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance resurfaced showing him criticizing Harris for not having biological children.<\/p>\n She also issued a statement after the Daily Mail report on Saturday, but said they ended their marriage for \u201ca variety of reasons, many years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe is a great father to our kids, continues to be a great friend to me and I am really proud of the warm and supportive blended family Doug, Kamala, and I have built together,\u201d Kerstin Emhoff said in a statement.<\/p>\n Harris, who is at the vice president\u2019s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, is completing vetting and interviews with the men she\u2019s considering to run as her vice president. It\u2019s the last step in the truncated vetting process before next week\u2019s public rollout, which will include a rally Tuesday in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Emhoff has been a regular surrogate on the campaign trail, even before Harris was elevated as the party\u2019s presumptive nominee. His appearances have ramped up even more since Biden dropped out.<\/p>\n