Divorce records indicate that Georgia state Senator Preston Smith, a Republican candidate for attorney general, had an affair with a female staffer in 2003 and 2004, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Copies of the divorce papers were circulated to local media outlets after Senator Preston Smith came in second in the attorney general race on July 20; a runoff election with first-place finisher Sam Olens is scheduled for August 10.
The details of events leading up to his divorce no longer just between himself and his Georgia family law attorney, Preston Smith offered the following statement to the press:
"Without a doubt, I fell short in my personal life by getting a divorce, and people have the right to make a moral judgment on that if they chose."
Regardless, as his statement went on to say, he still believes he is the best candidate for the state attorney general's office. Atlanta divorce attorney Charles Medlin, who represented ex-wife Michelle Smith, said his client did not want to discuss the ordeal.
But Charles Medlin told reporters that his client was "shocked and hurt" when she learned of the affair and that they tried to patch things up before finally deciding the marriage couldn't be saved. And according to her deposition, her estranged husband had numerous affairs throughout the couple's separation.
The "other woman," who was not named in the article, helped Preston Smith with his senatorial campaign in which he ran as a family values, pro-Christian candidate. He also served on the board of Summit Ministries, which promotes Christian morals in school programs.
Michelle Smith learned of the affair when she found her husband and the staffer together in his darkened office. It's unclear how he plans to augment his message or respond to critics in light of the public disclosure of his infidelity.
Related Resources:
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Deciding Whether or Not to Divorce (FindLaw)
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South Carolina House Passes Censure of Gov. Mark Sanford (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice Blog)
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