Nevada Dem Steven Horsford admits affair with former Harry Reid intern after he was exposed in 'Mistress for Congress' podcast

Nevada Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford admitted that he engaged in "a previous relationship outside of my marriage, over the course of several years." The allegations of the affair between Horsford and the former intern were first presented in a podcast series titled "Mistress for Congress."

Horsford, who has been married since 2000 and has three children, confessed that he had an affair with a woman in a statement released to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Friday.

"It is true that I had a previous relationship outside of my marriage, over the course of several years. I'm deeply sorry to all of those who have been impacted by this very poor decision, most importantly my wife and family. Out of concern for my family during this challenging time, I ask that our privacy is respected," Horsford said.

Gabriela Linder revealed that she is "Love Jones," the pseudonym of a person who hosted the "Mistress for Congress" podcast, "an audio memoir told week by week, of a young woman's affair with a sitting congressman, that began in 2009 and would span over a decade."

Linder told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the relationship began in 2009, when she was a 21-year-old senior at UNLV, and he was the 36-year-old majority leader of the Nevada state Senate. Linder claims that Horsford "used his status as an older, powerful man to take advantage of her and control her."

Linder was an intern to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in 2009.

Linder alleges that she and the congressman, who represents Nevada's 4th congressional district, were engaged in an on-again, off-again sexual relationship that happened from 2009-2010 and then again from 2017-2019.

Linder said she never worked for Horsford, but claimed on the "Mistress for Congress" podcast that he provided job referrals and "financial support" over the years. Linder said that Horsford filmed a segment for her young son's YouTube show using his congressional staff.

Linder also alleges that Horsford discussed leaving his wife for her, but said he couldn't do so amid the 2020 election.

Linder suggested that Horsford resign. "He obtained this position under false pretenses that he was a family man and man of God. He should take a step back, alone, and if people are satisfied, then he can come back into politics," Linder said.

Lisa Song Sutton, the Republican challenger for Horsford's seat, called on him to resign and for a House Ethics Committee investigation.

"First, I call on Steven Horsford to resign from Congress. In addition, I call on the House Ethics Committee to begin an immediate investigation into Congressman Horsford's actions as they relate to this longtime, extramarital affair, similar to the investigation that occurred with his immediate predecessor, disgraced former Congressman Ruben Kihuen," Sutton wrote on Facebook. "The people of Nevada's 4th District deserve to know if any of our taxpayer dollars funded Steven Horsford's nefarious activities."