Newsmaker

Schwarzenegger reveals he had child with staffer

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-17 16:16

Arnold Schwarzenegger is joined by his wife Maria Shriver while being sworn into office for a second term by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George during his inauguration ceremony at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, California in this January 5, 2007 file photo. The former California first lady has moved out after 25 years of marriage, reported Los Angeles Times. The couple confirmed their separation in a joint statement released on May 9, 2011 after questions were raised by The Times. [Photo/Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver, once the focus of the public opinions and still is, separated after the former first lady of the state learned her husband fathered a child with a longtime member of their household staff, the Los Angeles Times reported early Tuesday.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this even which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger said Monday night in a statement issued to The Times in response to questions.

"I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."

"I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time. While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not."

A spokesman for Shriver told The Times she had no comment.

In a report filed by The Times on May 9, Schwarzenegger and Shriver confirmed the separation in a joint statement in response to questions raised by The Times.

"This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us," they said in the statement.

"After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion and prayer, we came to this decision together. At this time, we are living apart while we work on the future of our relationship."

The statement went on: "We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and the center of both of our lives. We consider this a private matter and neither we nor any of our friends or family will have further comment. We ask for compassion and respect from the media and the public."

In the latest report, Shriver was said to have had moved out of their Brentwood mansion and has been living apart from Schwarzenegger for the last few weeks, only after the 63-year-old body builder-turned-politician admitted the affair.

The woman had worked for the former first family for 20 years, and retired in January, according to the report.

The former staffer said in an interview with The Times before Schwarzenegger published his statement about the affair that she voluntarily left her position with the couple earlier this year after reaching a longstanding goal of working for them for two decades.

"I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire," she said, adding she received a severance payment and "left on good terms with them."

She maintained another man, her then-husband, was the child's father. She refused to make any comment after the former governor made the revelation.

Schwarzenegger bore financial responsibility for the child from the start and continued to provide support, The Times reported, quoting a source who declined to be named because of the former governor's request for privacy.