Cynthia Ore
Encyclopedia
Cynthia Mirella Ore is a Maryland
woman who gained brief notoriety in the second half of 2005 and during the 2006 midterm election
, as a result of her widely publicized extramarital affair with Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district
Representative Don Sherwood
. She subsequently accused Sherwood of abusing her during their relationship.
In court documents and press interviews, Ore said she met Congressman Sherwood at a Young Republicans
meeting in September 1999. Ore was 23 years old and Sherwood was 58 when they began a "close romantic and intimate personal relationship", according to a 2005 . Their five-year extramarital affair ended after Ore described several instances of physical abuse by the congressman.
On the afternoon of September 15, 2004, Ore locked herself inside the bathroom of Sherwood's Washington, D.C.
apartment. She used her cell phone to make an emergency call to police. When authorities arrived, Ore reported that she had been choked by Sherwood. The congressman told police he was only giving her a backrub. Initially, no charges were filed. Their relationship soon ended—though Ore has stated that Sherwood remained in contact with her.
Sherwood initially denied the affair, stating that Ore was merely a "casual acquaintance". http://www.newage-examiner.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14737380&BRD=2310&PAG=461&dept_id=480505&rfi=6 After a was leaked to the press in 2005, Sherwood publicly admitted his lengthy affair with Ore, but denied her reports of abuse. Ore filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against Sherwood in June 2005. The suit was settled out of court on November 8, 2005, but the terms of the monetary settlement have never been made public.
In an interview with a Wilkes-Barre newspaper, http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=WB|&p_product=WB&p_theme=realcities2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_site=timesleader&s_trackval=WB&s_dispstring=sherwood%20a%20charmer%20ore%20recounts%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(sherwood%20a%20charmer%20ore%20recounts)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Ore said she was born to a wealthy family and grew up in Peru
. Various news stories in 2005 and 2006 gave her age as 29 and mentioned in passing that, in 2001, she had been an intern for U.S. Representative Bill Shuster
, another Pennsylvania Republican, but left after two days. Newspapers also reported that she was said to be taking business classes at Johns Hopkins University
and, in 2006, had changed her name.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
woman who gained brief notoriety in the second half of 2005 and during the 2006 midterm election
United States House elections, 2006
- House of Representatives prior to the election :As of November 7, 2006, the U.S. House of the 109th Congress was composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats and 1 Independent . There were also four vacancies...
, as a result of her widely publicized extramarital affair with Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district is located primarily in the northeast corner of the state. The district was one of the 12 original districts created prior to the 4th Congress. It is currently represented by Republican Tom Marino, who defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Carney during the...
Representative Don Sherwood
Don Sherwood
Donald L. "Don" Sherwood is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district, from 1999 to 2007...
. She subsequently accused Sherwood of abusing her during their relationship.
In court documents and press interviews, Ore said she met Congressman Sherwood at a Young Republicans
Young Republicans
The Young Republicans is an organization for members of the Republican Party of the United States between the ages of 18 and 40. It has both a national organization and chapters in individual states....
meeting in September 1999. Ore was 23 years old and Sherwood was 58 when they began a "close romantic and intimate personal relationship", according to a 2005 . Their five-year extramarital affair ended after Ore described several instances of physical abuse by the congressman.
On the afternoon of September 15, 2004, Ore locked herself inside the bathroom of Sherwood's Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
apartment. She used her cell phone to make an emergency call to police. When authorities arrived, Ore reported that she had been choked by Sherwood. The congressman told police he was only giving her a backrub. Initially, no charges were filed. Their relationship soon ended—though Ore has stated that Sherwood remained in contact with her.
Sherwood initially denied the affair, stating that Ore was merely a "casual acquaintance". http://www.newage-examiner.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14737380&BRD=2310&PAG=461&dept_id=480505&rfi=6 After a was leaked to the press in 2005, Sherwood publicly admitted his lengthy affair with Ore, but denied her reports of abuse. Ore filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against Sherwood in June 2005. The suit was settled out of court on November 8, 2005, but the terms of the monetary settlement have never been made public.
In an interview with a Wilkes-Barre newspaper, http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=WB|&p_product=WB&p_theme=realcities2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_site=timesleader&s_trackval=WB&s_dispstring=sherwood%20a%20charmer%20ore%20recounts%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(sherwood%20a%20charmer%20ore%20recounts)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Ore said she was born to a wealthy family and grew up in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Various news stories in 2005 and 2006 gave her age as 29 and mentioned in passing that, in 2001, she had been an intern for U.S. Representative Bill Shuster
Bill Shuster
William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:...
, another Pennsylvania Republican, but left after two days. Newspapers also reported that she was said to be taking business classes at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and, in 2006, had changed her name.
External links
- "Rep. Sherwood and the 911 Call" Case study in ethics at Pennsylvania State University.
- "Count on Me" Ad In a 2006 television spot, Don Sherwood explains his affair with Cynthia Ore.