New York Attorney Accuses Doug Emhoff of Brutally ‘Slapping’ Her

A woman, identified only as “Jane,” has come forward with serious allegations against Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, claiming he slapped her after a gala dinner at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Jane, a New York attorney, said in an interview with the Daily Mail that she felt “embarrassed and humiliated” by the incident, which she described as occurring without provocation.

“I was in four-inch heels, wearing a full-length gown, and it was around 2-3 a.m.,” Jane recalled. “He slapped me so hard I spun around, and I was in utter shock. There had been no fight, no argument. In that moment, his mask dropped, and I saw his dark side.”

Jane said the incident happened while she attempted to tip a valet to get them a taxi. According to her, Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, struck her without warning. She further alleged that the public persona Emhoff portrays is “completely fabricated.”

“What’s frightening is watching this completely false image of him being held out as the opposite of who he really is,” Jane told the Daily Mail, explaining why she felt compelled to share her story.

Three of Jane’s friends corroborated her claims, with two saying they were told about the slap immediately after it happened, and a third informed in 2018. Despite this, a spokesperson for Emhoff has strongly denied the accusations, telling Semafor, “Any suggestion that he would or has ever hit a woman is false.”

The pair met in 2012 on Match.com while Jane lived in New York and Emhoff in Los Angeles. She described their relationship as “intense,” saying that Emhoff was already talking about marriage and children during their early dates. Jane added that his behavior, which she now interprets as “love-bombing,” quickly raised red flags. “He grabbed me around the stomach and talked about wanting more babies,” she said.

The Daily Mail report also delves into Jane’s account of Emhoff’s past, including claims that he admitted to cheating on his first wife, Kerstin Mackin, with his children’s nanny. Jane said Emhoff told her the affair led to the nanny’s pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, though he allegedly denied physically harming her. Jane added that Emhoff had arranged an $80,000 nondisclosure agreement with the nanny as part of a settlement.

The day after the alleged slap, Jane said Emhoff was unapologetic, suggesting they were “even” because she had slapped him back in self-defense. Weeks later, Jane confided in a friend who had worked with Emhoff at his law firm, Venable. That friend allegedly warned her about Emhoff’s poor reputation with women at the firm. A previous report from the Daily Mail detailed claims from former colleagues that Emhoff had been “inappropriate” and “misogynistic” toward female staff.

These allegations come at a time when Emhoff has been publicly praised for his role as a supportive spouse. In a recent MSNBC interview, he dismissed what host Joe Scarborough referred to as “tabloid stories,” calling them distractions. Jane, however, remains critical. “Every time I see Doug on TV portraying the perfect spouse, I wonder if others who know the truth feel as disgusted as I do.”

Jane and her current husband are registered Democrats who supported President Biden in the 2020 election, contributing over $10,000 to his campaign. Despite her political alignment, Jane said she felt it was important to speak out about Emhoff, describing the media’s coverage of him as selective and frustrating.

“I kept asking, ‘Why doesn’t anyone care?’” she said. “Not a single reporter has directly asked Doug about these allegations.”