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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

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Mayor Tony's Hot Tamale

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When Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced last month that he was getting a divorce from his wife of 20 years, we thought it was tacky that many in the press and local blogosphere were demanding that he reveal if the breakup was due to an affair.

We at LAist didn't see how that would be relevant or necessary to disclose since a divorce is an extremely sensitive personal matter whose details should be of no concern to the public.

But then we learned today that the Mayor's chica is Mirthala Salinas, a newswoman for Telemundo, so, yes the press (who probably knew exactly who the Mayor's emotional friend was) was correct in demanding full disclosure since it would be important to see if there was any professional impropriety.

Amid questions whether Salinas reported on the mayor while they were romantically involved, [Mayor Tony] said that about a year ago Salinas "asked to be removed" from her role in the station's political coverage. Telemundo spokesman Alfredo Richard had said Salinas, a backup anchor and general news correspondent, moved off the political beat, which includes coverage of the mayor, about 11 months ago.

"I believe she did not cover the mayor since her new assignment," Richard said. - Daily News

Bueno? For most it would be, but then someone asked the Mayor if his mamacita was with bambina:
Asked today whether Salinas -- now an evening anchor for Telemundo, Channel 52 -- is pregnant, Villaraigosa said: "I can tell you emphatically that that question is outrageous and the answer is no, she is not pregnant." - LA Times
Meanwhile LA Observed is reporting that this isn't the first politician that the newswoman has dallied with.
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photo via Telemundo
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