Matt Doheny, ‘Strongest GOP Challenger,’ Sucks Face with Campaign Consultant Who Is Not His Fiancée

[Galraedia]

Source: Gawker

After losing a Congressional race by 1,995 votes two years ago, Matt Doheny went back to his home in New York's 21st District to recharge. He asked long-time girlfriend Mary to marry him (she said yes, "of course&quot and announced he would re-challenge Democratic Rep. Bill Owens in 2012.

Last week, Doheny went to the National Republican Congressional Committee's Washington "candidate school" to prepare for the campaign—and ended up in the arms of campaign consultant Monica Notzon. Matt and Monica swear they're "just friends." The pictures may tell a different story.

According to the National Journal, House GOP leaders hand-selected fifteen candidates—"the strongest GOP challengers in the country"—and brought them to D.C. for two days of campaign workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. John Boehner was among the featured speakers.

Matt Doheny was among the chosen fifteen. Fiancée Mary stayed at home while Matt went to D.C. After the first day of workshops, he met up with Monica and other friends at Bobby Van's, a steakhouse popular with lobbyists and political creatures. Monica confirms that she was there, but refuses to specify whether or not a kiss took place. "We're just friends, and it was a whole big group of us," she said. She would not discuss whether she or Matt had been drinking.

Read more: http://gawker.com/5897228

[Alcibiades]

1. He'll fit right in

Hope his bride-to-be realizes what a gem he is.

And what is it with GOP folks and lobbyists? Do the lobbying firms hire women whose entire job is to become "the other woman?"

[Tom Ripley]

38. Stepford Mistresses

[brooklynite]

2. Bill Owens has a charmed life...

He won his first two races when the Tea Party split the vote with a "RINO" Republican, and now this...

[DAMANgoldberg]

3. While it may be true about Mr. Owens

This district was solidly Republican, and if they had any sense, would still be R. I guess this district may be permanently Scozzafaved! Oh well. Bill Owens may be the Heath Shuler of New York, but he is a liberal as it gets, unless Dede changes parties.

[A Simple Game]

15. I live in the district, Dede was one Republican that a liberal

could live with. She was more liberal than Owens in my opinion.

HEY, when did we get the spell check back? Thank you, Thank you!!!

[EC]

4. "just friends"

yeah, right, her hand is on his leg in an ownership manner.

[Aerows]

5. Oh wow

A republican that lies. I'm stunned, shocked and unsurprised.

I guess he'll be on TV tomorrow talking about the horrors of infidelity and how all liberals are unfaithful.

[fasttense]

6. I guess he's going for a Gingrich open marriage. n/t

[BB_Troll]

7. I thought Friends With Bene's is okay

Maybe it's just me, but isn't this socially acceptable these days? It's not the 1950s anymore, right?

[leftynyc]

8. Have no idea what universe you live in

but no, once you commit yourself to another person and especially after making the vows, cheating is not ever okay. I realize some people have open marriages and that's fine if both people are in agreement with the terms and the people I know who have such an arrangement keep it to themselves. I wonder how the fiance feels about this.

[BB_Troll]

50. I understand what you're saying...

but why push your (or anyone else's) morals on me (or him)? who says that his hedonism is wrong?

[leftynyc]

51. I'm not pushing anything on anybody

If his fiance is okay with this, so am I. Then again, I don't belong to the party who wants to push their so called family values and religious beliefs onto me like this clown does. It's the hypocrisy when it comes to the pubs - always the hypocrisy.

[tanyev]

9. Go ask his fiancee if she's OK with it.

[Doctor_J]

23. Sure! Just ask Anthony Weiner

[WorseBeforeBetter]

46. Friends with benefits is absolutely OK.

But generally not when you're in a relationship, especially not an engagement (depends on the couple, and the understanding they have with each other). But you already knew that.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

55. Interesting name

Enjoy your stay.....

[Arkana]

66. Not when you're engaged to someone else, it's not.

[Javaman]

10. How is any of this surprising? after all it was republican "workshop".

given their long history of failed and pseudo relationships, I would think his sucking face with campaign consultant Monica Notzon was a required course.

The problem as I see it, his long time girlfrend Mary, hasn't attended the republican stepford wife concentration camp of re-education.

[Doctor_J]

11. Mary probably met the "Candidate" under similar circumstances

so is not surprised by this development. I continued, in my dotage, to be amazed when 3rd wives are surprised that their husbands cheat on them. I have an acquaintance whose 2nd, 3rd, and 4th wives were his 1st, 2nd, and 3rd mistresses, respectively, and yet none of them seemed to see it coming. Weird.

[Javaman]

12. Turnip truck syndrome. LOL

or perhaps they just enjoy lying to themselves so they can get more out of the divorce settlement?

[Doctor_J]

13. I dunno. 2nd wife/1st mistress

was a successful entrepreneur, and nice looking. 3rd wife/2nd mistress had PhD and looked like a young Mimi Rogers. Somehow this guy keeps a) attracting sensational women, and b) getting tired of them. And he is in a profession that does not afford a man lots of alimony. Just strange all around.

[Javaman]

14. maybe they were just begiled by his charms...

sorry, I couldn't hold it in.

[Knowitall]

18. Money buys tolerance and ignorance

But it is a whole heck of a lot easier to be tolerant when the entire nation doesn't know your fiance is a dog. Its the ultimate humiliation three months before a wedding.

[Knowitall]

16. You betcha

His fiancé started "dating" Matt when he was in the middle of a four or five year relationship with someone else. She knowingly served as his mistress (probably one of many) for over a year until he and his girlfriend broke up and she became "the new girlfriend". She can't be surprised by this at all. A leopard doesn't change his spots and what goes around comes around. And doheny keeps going down market too. His old girlfriend was really pretty, his fiancé was definitely a step down from that, then this new mistress is even worse. Matt, if you are going to cheat, at least step out for steak, not hamburger helper.

[Ian David]

17. Maybe all three of them are sleeping together. n/t

[cyberswede]

20. Good grief

Matt, if you are going to cheat, at least step out for steak, not hamburger helper.

Women aren't meat.

[Hockeyfan]

21. I had such a crush on his ex when they were together

Www.Facebook.com/kputnam

[Washboard]

29. Where did he go wrong???

Check out your girl's photo compared to the fiancé. You can see her on Matt doheny's Facebook page. She's the one on the far left on the cover photo in the big green shirt. I am perplexed.

Your girl isn't super model hot, but she could pass for an 8/9. There's no way he was cheating on your girl with the current fiancé. Doesn't this doheny have shitloads of money? Shouldn't he be banging hotter and hotter women with every additional dollar he makes? This guy is definitely going in the wrong direction.

[cyberswede]

31. Hmmm

1. A girl is a child. These people are women.

2. People "bang" people for other reasons than their looks. Any adult should know that.

[Washboard]

32. You win

If I had the choice, I would prefer to savor fine cuisine with Kip Putnam across the table from me then Mary Reidy or Monica Notzon. Kip is a cutie.

[Hockeyfan]

33. Just to be clear

That is not my girl on doheny's page, that is the fiancé. I think that's what you meant but I wasn't sure. Also, again to be clear, she isn't my girl. I don't want doboy coming after me.

[Washboard]

35. Change

Doheny took the picture of his fiancé down. They spoiled the fun.

Well, for those who still want to track his downward spiral, I found another in his profile pictures. The one where about 10 people are holding up a white doheny banner. She's the one in the white shirt on the far right.

---------

Wait, now the green shirt shot is back. Fiance on far left. Thanks for restoring the fun Doh, but I am bored with this now. Good luck man.

[Swisher270]

44. I remember her!

She had the same Facebook photo a couple years ago. She had posted a comment on matt's campaign Facebook page. I don't remember what it was, just a normal supportive comment. Then some jealous nut job made some crazy nasty comments back to her on the same campaign Facebook page but they were directed straight to her and were specifically about her. I don't remember exactly what they were either but they were strange. The campaign stupidly left it up for months. I was told the first poster was his old girlfriend and the nut job was his new girlfriend. I am piecing it all together now and the nut job is now his fiancé. It was so strange back then I actually it remember this girl's picture when she was on the receiving end of the crazy comments. The absurdity continues.

[Hockeyfan]

45. "nut job" is kind

The fiancé has done a lot stranger things than posting on Facebook. I think she is just really insecure and has resorted to very unusual tactics (in other words, crazy tactics) to garner and then protect her position beside Matt, which kind of makes sense in light of Doheny's extracurriculars. They are a good match though. Doheny is not going to change and most women would not put up with what she appears to find acceptable. If she is un-phased by him cheating on her a couple months after proposing they will probably stay married for the long haul.

[Swisher270]

47. Dodging a bullet

Well, this woman and every other person he ever dated must be pretty grateful to have escaped their relationships with Doheny. I can't imagine having to suffer the kind of public humiliation his fiancé has endured in the last couple weeks. I don't care how much of a nut job she is, on top of the actual cheating, she has got to be second guessing everything knowing that he is clearly lying to everyone about it now (pictures don't lie, after all). As if marriage isn't hard enough, but to go into it with all of this so close to the wedding must be hard to ignore. I feel sorry for her.

[Knowitall]

49. She believes him

You don't have to pity his fiancé because she absolutely believes him and is still in the midst of her "special time" pre-wedding bliss with Matt. So no, I don't think any of this is causing her a second of angst. If you want to feel sorry for her, I suppose you could feel sorry that sticking her head in the sand has rendered her deaf, dumb and apparently really really blind.

[Wickets]

52. No way

Holy sh--. This is the same woman who harassed everyone during the last election. Now she is his fiancé? Are you kidding me? Talk about bad judgement. Maybe getting engaged helped her settle down some. Let's hope. I'll say one thing, his engagement to this lightening rod makes his escapades in DC seem like childs play. It makes me think the guy doesn't actually want to be in congress.

Hey Doheny-it can be fun to date the crazy ones, but you don't marry them. Especially if you're in politics. Maybe you missed that lesson at congressional bootcamp too!

[Hockeyfan]

53. Yes

Even back when they were just dating, a few of Matt's friends tried to talk to him about his decision to date (and now marry) this woman. Especially in light of his political aspirations. Every time, Matt either played dumb or said "you don't know the whole story". Sorry Matt, there is no "story" that makes her behavior acceptable. His "out of context" defense to the monica event sounded eerily familiar to this excuse. But if you know matt, the minute you question his judgment, the more resolve he will have to prove you wrong. Well, he never proved anyone wrong, people just stopped talking to him about it. We joke about it now. I can't wait for the wedding though!

[Doctor_J]

22. I knew it!

A serial adulterer. If he were a Dem his career would be over. As it is he'll probably "find God" between now and November, and the local hate Radio brigade will make him out to be a saint. These women really are piggish too.

[Hockeyfan]

24. Not the ex

His ex was far from piggish. That's probably why they broke up, she was too smart for his shit.

[Doctor_J]

25. Sorry, but she took up with this steaming turd

and she knew at the time that he was a winger, and she's probably a winger. to me that gives her almost no redeeming qualities.

[Knowitall]

26. Don't be so quick to judge

I am pretty sure his ex wouldn't want her name or Facebook page posted on the web or even associated with any of this low class shit. I actually know her. She was never the other woman and shouldn't even be mentioned in any of this. Her mistake was dating a liar and believing him for far too long. Please keep her out of this. She is a good girl and most certainly is not in any way "piggish". I regret mentioning her on this blog. She is above all of this.

[Ian David]

27. No one who sleeps with Republicans is above reproach. n/t

[antigone382]

41. Seriously?

Reducing a person's entire value to the political affiliation of their former romantic partners???


Seriously???

[grantcart]

19. Doheny wishes that he could get Romney's magic Etch A Sketch

[cstanleytech]

28. To be honest I couldnt tell if he was kissing her or if she was whispering in his ear

as those photos were pretty darn grainy, I wonder if they have any others that show which it was.

[Washboard]

30. NY Post has video

They didn't post the video but it sounds like it kills any "out of context" defense.

[cstanleytech]

34. Hmm they have posted a small clip I just checked and saw but it didnt cover

the scene in question which is odd, you would think if there were actual video of them kissing that it would have been posted.

[4lbs]

36. And somewhere Limpballs is thinking...

How can I get me some of that?

[Washboard]

37. Wow...The wedding is actually still on

This thread still seems active so I thought I would break the news. The campaign and the fiance are still sticking to the laughable "out of context" defense, despite the video update, and the wedding is indeed on and the invites are on their way. How desperate this woman must be. Where are her friends to tell her that even though I commented before that she may not be the prettiest girl I have ever seen she can still find someone else someday and she doesn't have to humiliate herself by marrying this douche. If she was my sister or daughter or friend I would do everything in my power to talk some sense into her. I don't care how rich Doheny is, he made a fool of her.

Some women are so remarkably dumb, it is no wonder guys cheat so often.

[Hockeyfan]

40. 700 people to celebrate winning the primary. Oh no wait, it's to celebrate a wedding, I got confused

The "special" wedding just seems like an excuse for a huge campaign event to celebrate Doheny winning the republican primary 4 days earlier (assuming he does). 700 people invited. I bet 95% of the invitees will either be party affiliates or campaign donors. How romantic.

But with those numbers, I am betting that a handful of Doheny's mistresses will be in attendance too and at least a couple dozen of his future conquests as well. It could be fun. I wonder if Monica will be on the list.

Despite Washboard's declaration, I am still thinking the wedding will be called off though. No girl can be this dumb. I don't care how unattractive or desperate she is.

[Washboard]

42. 700 people?

That is ridiculous. This guy thinks he is a Kennedy. Except Mary is no Jackie O and Monica is no Marilyn.

[Hockeyfan]

43. Missing more than just Kennedy's pretty girls

Some how I don't think Jackie O would have used label stickers to address her invitations or allowed guests to RSVP online. My wife thinks even a postage paid reply card breaks tradition too much. This takes it to a whole new level. So classy.

[Washboard]

54. Defending against the fugly buzz

It appears doheny and his campaign staff are trying their hardest to overcome the talk that his fiancé is not a hottie. Or even a cutie. Or even anything that resembles sort of pretty. After picture upon unattractive picture of his bride to be, the campaign has finally posted a very posed, but far more attractive picture of the happy couple. She will always seem kind of dull and marshmallowish to me, but at least there is finally a presentable picture for the campaign to show off. They actually look pretty good. If nothing else it's better than the picture of doheny with his Lewinsky.

[C_martin36]

56. I don't buy it

Sorry, I don't care what Matt, his supporters or his campaign try to do to make these two appear to be the all american couple, but it will never work with me. Matt has terrible judgment. I know him and the encounter in DC was typical of the adulterous behavior we have seen from him for years. I have seen him drunkenly running around in public with a few different girls since he moved here. And I don't care if his fiancé is a supermodel or looks like a dog, I am only concerned about her character, or lack of it. Sorry, but you can't continually behave badly and expect people to forget it or ignore it. Matt seems to have been given a free pass because he has money. I hope the republican party wakes up. Do we really have to abandon the idea of electing people with character simply because they are rich?

[kestrel91316]

57. Why do you "hope the republican party wakes up"?

Just curious.

Personally I am hoping they keep right on with showing their true colors.

[Washboard]

58. I get it

Probably because despite this guys antics, there is still a decent chance he might get elected just based on his deep pockets and we will have to stare at him and his wife for years while they try to tell us how to live. No thanks. I would rather take my moral cues from John Edwards at this point than from these two.

[JI7]

48. maybe they are going to Share him like Gingrich wanted mariannge to do with Callista

[Hockeyfan]

59. I still don't get it

I know everyone is surprised Matt's fiancé is still going to marry him after the alleged hookup in DC, but I still can't believe Matt is marrying her. I just don't see it. None of us do. Except that he can check the "married" box come election time and his future wife will clearly let him act like a single guy whenever he wants. Sorry Doboy, you always said you wanted to be with someone who was "first lady material". You steered way off that path with this one, guy. What happened?

[Knowitall]

60. Whatever

I know, dude, I know, but who cares. Just be entertained by the pompous, self-righteous BS of it all. Doh has never failed to entertain.

[C_martin36]

61. Poor character

This whole scenario proves, once again, that money can buy you quality "things" but it can't buy quality people. This couple is so lacking in character I have had enough of all of it. If this is the best we can come up with, I think it might finally be time to throw in the towel and pack up my family and move away. What a disgrace these two are.

[obamanut2012]

62. This a very bizarre subthread

[bluedigger]

63. It sure attracted several people who seemingly have no other interests at DU than discussing this.

indeed!

[muriel_volestrangler]

65. The entire thread was taken over on Mar 29 by some acquaintances of Doheny

Knowitall, Hockeyfan, Washboard, Swisher270, Wickets and C_martin36 - none of whom have posted anywhere else on DU, and some of whom claim to know him and/or the women involved. They use it to post comments on the attractiveness of the women, and whether this matters for the Republicans. It just seems to be an ugly little attempt to create a social network for some yuppies who knew Doheny.

[obamanut2012]

68. It seemed like it -- so weid!

[Myrina]

64. They're both ugly, so good for 'em

Insides are apparently reflected on the outside, with this pair.

[Rhiannon12866]

67. K&R! Thanks for posting this, got a robocall from him last week.

We're NY-20, Kirsten Gillibrand's former congressional district, and I worked for the Democratic candidate in the past two elections, but we're being redistricted, yet again. I didn't know this guy, so waited until the end of his speech, and, big surprise, he's a Republican. He wouldn't have gotten my vote, anyway...

[hrmjustin]

69. Maybe he was just... n/t

[Hockeyfan]

70. They did it!

I witnessed the happy couple deliver their vows yesterday. I didn't see Ms. Notzon in attendance but I only know her from the pictures so I might have missed her. The bride looked better then I thought was possible, but we have beaten that horse to death. All in all, it was a decent wedding but Matt seemed more excited to show off his island compound then anything else. I kind of felt like I stepped onto the set of the Beverly Hillbillies (people with lots of money and, well, you know the story...) but it was a pretty setting.

[wordpix]

71. I always suck face with my "just friends"

Looks like "more than friends" to me.

Repuklican family values, once again. They've kind of dropped that line ever since Noot asked one of his wives for a divorce when she was sick in the hospital, so he could marry another.

[Mark Sully]

72. Input appreciated

I am doing some research on 2012 elections that in theory should have been won by particular candidates based on demographics, party affiliations, funding, endorsements, etc. but yet those elections were still lost. The Doheny-Owens election seems very relevant to this research given all these factors in the district. I am hoping this blog still has some readers and I would appreciate their insight. Does anyone have any thoughts on how or why they believe Doheny lost. I am hoping to gain some perspective from people who were on the ground during the campaign and are more familiar with the election then just the mundane and redundant reasons offered by political analysts.

Was his platform a problem or was Doheny's character the biggest factor? Was this infidelity scandal a factor? Was it well publicized in the district? What was the general sentiment among voters? Was his wealth an issue? Was the wedding helpful or hurtful? Did his "stand by your man" wife help or hurt the campaign? Did having the Republican, Independent and Conservative party lines help or hurt?

Any insights anyone can provide would be very helpful.

[cyberswede]

73. You replied to a very old thread...

and others might not see your post.

You might consider posting your question in our New York group - there may be DUers there from that area who could reply.

New York group:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1068