Doug Emhoff, the husband of US Vice President Kamala Harris, has acknowledged an extramarital affair that occurred during his first marriage, as reported by CBS News. Emhoff had a relationship with a teacher at his children's school, several years prior to his marriage to Harris. This revelation follows a report that the teacher was pregnant in 2009 but did not give birth.
CBS News cited two sources close to the teacher, who confirmed that the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. These sources, along with a third anonymous source familiar with the situation, revealed that Emhoff was still legally married to his first wife, Kerstin, at the time of the affair, although they were separated.
The teacher involved was employed at the school where Emhoff's children studied, but she was not their teacher during the affair. In a statement to CBS News, Emhoff expressed regret for his actions during his first marriage, stating, "Kerstin and I faced challenging times due to my mistakes. I have taken responsibility, and over the years, we have worked through our issues as a family and emerged stronger."
Before his role as the US's second gentleman, Emhoff was an entertainment lawyer and is the father of two adult children, Ella and Cole, from his first marriage. Kerstin Emhoff, in her own statement, noted that they decided to end their marriage years ago for various reasons, praising Emhoff as a great father and friend.
Court records indicate that Kerstin filed for divorce in 2009, which was finalized in late 2010. It is also reported that Harris was aware of the affair before marrying Emhoff, and those involved in the vetting process for the Biden campaign in 2020 were informed as well.
Harris and Emhoff met in 2013 and married in 2014, without having children together. Emhoff's children affectionately call Harris "Mamala," and their close bond has been frequently highlighted in the media. Notably, Harris officiated at Cole Emhoff's wedding in 2023.
