A GOP congressman is pulling one of his most prominent colleagues - who was a groomsman in his wedding - into his messy divorce proceedings
- A Republican congressman, Mike Turner of Ohio, is seeking to have one of his most prominent GOP colleagues, Rep. Darrell Issa of California, deposed in his divorce hearing.
- Issa was a groomsman in Turner's wedding.
Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio is seeking to have fellow GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California deposed as a part of his divorce proceedings, Politico reported Wednesday.
Issa was a groomsman in Turner's 2015 wedding to Majida Mourad, with whom Turner is now locked in a testy divorce battle. Politico reported that Turner approached Issa, who announced his retirement last month, and handed him a letter seeking the deposition, multiple sources told the outlet.
Mourad's attorney, Sanford Ain, told the publication in a Monday statement that Turner "may have" told "third parties" that his wife was unfaithful, "thinking it would advantage him in the divorce." Such an allegation, the attorney said, had "no basis in fact."
"Because it has been raised, Ms. Mourad was never unfaithful to Congressman Turner during the marriage, before or after Congressman Turner filed for divorce," Ain said. "Any allegation of her being unfaithful to Congressman Turner is simply false and defamatory."
Turner, an eight-term congressman, filed for divorce last May after just a year and a half of marriage. Issa and Mourad, both of Lebanese-American heritage, have been friends for two decades, a source close to Mourad told Politico, and Issa denied that his relationship with Mourad was anything more than a friendship.
"There is no truth whatsoever to these allegations," Issa, married for 38 years, said in a statement.