Walsh Lists No Delinquent Child Support on Financial Disclosure Forms

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 9, 2011 3:47PM

The baby mama drama of 8th District Rep. Joe Walsh continues. Talking Points Memo reports the tough on all debts but his alleged own congressman could be subject to a House Ethics Committee investigation if he indeed does owe ex-wife Laura Walsh $117,000 in unpaid child support because he didn't list the debt on his his financial disclosure forms.

Members of Congress are required by law to list any liabilities over $10,000. Public Citizen's Craig Holman tells TPM, "Technically, he could be taken to task by the ethics committee or even the Justice Department for failure to file proper disclosure forms, but in all likelihood the Ethics Committee and Justice would be satisfied if Walsh were to file amended forms."

If Walsh does file amended forms, however, it would be an acknowledgement that he does owe at least $10,000 in back child support. Since the Sun-Times first broke the story two weeks ago, Walsh has maintained he doesn't owe that much and the lawsuit filed by his ex-wife is a private matter. According to the lawsuit filed by Laura Walsh in December 2010, the congressman was "$1,000 a month short of his commitment for 28 months during November 2005 to March 2008. Walsh allegedly paid nothing from 2008 until resuming in late 2010. She has asked the court to garnish his wages."