‘I took responsibility’: Emhoff addresses affair during first marriage after tabloid report

Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, acknowledged on Saturday that he had an affair during his first marriage, a period he said he’s taken “responsibility” for.

“During 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,” he said in a statement, obtained by POLITICO.

The second gentleman’s response, first reported by CNN , came after the Daily Mail reported that Emhoff had a relationship with one of his young daughter’s 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.

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’s campaign in 2020.

Emhoff’s 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.

She also issued a statement after the Daily Mail report on Saturday, but said they ended their marriage for “a variety of reasons, many years ago.”

“He 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,” Kerstin Emhoff said in a statement.

Harris, who is at the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, is completing vetting and interviews with the men she’s considering to run as her vice president. It’s the last step in the truncated vetting process before next week’s public rollout, which will include a rally Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Emhoff has been a regular surrogate on the campaign trail, even before Harris was elevated as the party’s presumptive nominee. His appearances have ramped up even more since Biden dropped out.