Joe Walsh Settles Child Support Dispute; Not a 'Deadbeat Dad'

The long-running saga surrounding U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh’s alleged failure to make child support payments may have finally come to an end. On Thursday, the Congressman announced that he and his ex-wife, Laura Walsh, had finally resolved their child support conflict, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Laura Walsh filed a suit in Cook County in 2010 alleging Walsh owed her more than $117,000 in unpaid child support and interest. She brought the suit after discovering that Walsh had been making personal loans to his own campaign yet had fallen behind on his child support payments.

Walsh denied the veracity of the claims, contending that the suit was an attempt by his former wife to exploit his new position as a member of Congress. He stated that he stopped paying child support in 2008 due to a mutual agreement with his former wife that both parents would divide the child’s expenses, but neither would pay child support. He claimed that he relied on a verbal agreement with his ex-wife, and never went to court to seek an official modification of his child support obligations.

The fact that Walsh is up for re-election in November for a second term in Congress likely influenced his decision to settle the matter. A statement released by Walsh and his ex-fire through his campaign comes off like a thinly-veiled attempt to white wash the Congressman’s damaged reputation before election day rolls around.

In the press release, Walsh and his ex-wife write, “Like many families, we have had our share of issues and made our share of mistakes over the years. Having resolved these issues together and cleared up these mistakes in private, we now agree that Joe is not and was not a ‘deadbeat dad’ and does not owe child support.”

At a statement on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh didn’t disclose any of the terms of his agreement with former wife Laura Walsh. For now, at least, it looks like Walsh’s child support saga may finally be over.

Related Resources: