“The congressman elected to replace disgraced former congressman Mark Foley is now himself the subject of salacious allegations that he had an affair with a campaign worker. U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, who is married, met Patricia Allen while he was campaigning for Congress against Foley in 2006, ABC News reported on its Web site Monday morning. Citing unnamed sources, the network said the Palm Beach Gardens Democrat fired Allen earlier this year after she tried to end their relationship. Mahoney then paid Allen $121,000 in a settlement to keep her from suing, the network reported. Mahoney, whose district includes most of Charlotte County, refused to be interviewed by the Herald-Tribune directly on Monday, but sent a statement to the media calling the ABC report ‘hearsay’ and said he would request an investigation by the House Ethics Committee.” (10/14/08)