Settlement
negotiations between former New Jersey governor James
McGreevey and his estranged wife broke down Monday and the
two prepared for trial in a divorce case that has
spawned tell-all books and a series of public
squabbles.
McGreevey, who is
now openly gay, and Dina Matos McGreevey were at an
impasse in settlement talks, court spokeswoman Sandra
Thaler-Gerber said.
''The judge spent
the better part of the afternoon trying to resolve the
matter. It does not appear as if it was successful,'' she
said.
The McGreeveys
left the courthouse separately and prepared to return
Tuesday morning, when testimony was to begin in their
divorce trial.
New Jersey's
former first couple split in 2004, shortly after McGreevey
resigned from his first term in office following a
nationally televised speech in which he acknowledged
being ''a gay American'' and said he had an affair
with a male staffer. The staffer has denied the affair and
claims he was sexually harassed by McGreevey.
The McGreeveys
have been separated for nearly as long as they were living
together, having split when both moved out of the governor's
mansion and into separate homes.
McGreevey, 50,
who now lives with a male partner, is studying at an
Episcopal seminary. Matos McGreevey, 41, recently has been
seen on cable television as a guest analyst.
The couple, who
have one child, 6-year-old Jacqueline, reached a deal on
the custody portion of their divorce last week. Details
remain sealed by the judge's order.
New Jersey grants
child support based on the income and earning ability
of both parents and how much time the child spends with
each. McGreevey currently pays $2,500 a month in
unallocated support, meaning amounts for child support
and alimony aren't specified separately.
Besides alimony
and child support, Matos McGreevey is seeking additional
money based on her claim of marriage fraud; she says she was
duped into marrying a closeted gay man who needed the
cover of a wife to advance his political career.
(Angela Delli Santi, AP)
