Dina Matos granted more time in civil case

ELIZABETH, N.J. - A judge yesterday granted Dina Matos more time to decide whether to pursue a fraud claim against former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who she contends knew he was gay and duped her into marriage to advance his political career.

The judge also warned the ex-spouses to quit putting their self-interests ahead of those of their 6-year-old daughter by seeking publicity at every turn in their bitter parting.

"I'm not sure how well we can isolate this child from this craziness," Union County Superior Court Judge Karen Cassidy told lawyers for Matos and McGreevey yesterday.

The two sides had been called before the judge to determine whether - and how - the civil suit against McGreevey would proceed after Matos missed a Sept. 1 deadline to tell the court whether she planned to continue the suit or dismiss it now that the divorce had been granted.

If Matos doesn't tell the court her decision by tomorrow, Cassidy said she'd turn the matter over to the civil division.

Matos, 41, was seeking more than $600,000 as compensation for the 13 months she was deprived of living in the governor's mansion after McGreevey resigned in 2004.

The judge denied Matos' damage claim in her ruling in the divorce but did not dismiss the civil suit.

Matos' lawyer said she would drop the case if McGreevey paid her $109,000 for her share of their joint assets and gave up the right to appeal. McGreevey's lawyer said he would not agree to such ultimatums.

"We now know what Mr. McGreevey's position is," said Matos' lawyer, John Post.

Neither Matos nor McGreevey was in court yesterday.

McGreevey, 50, resigned after declaring himself "a gay American" and saying he'd had an affair with a male staff member. The employee denied the affair and said he was sexually harassed by the governor. The couple formally separated in February 2005, three months after McGreevey left office.

If the civil case moves forward, among the first witnesses would be Teddy Pedersen, a former campaign aide who claimed to have had regular, three-way sexual encounters with the McGreeveys beginning when they were dating and ending just before Jim McGreevey took office as governor. McGreevey has confirmed the events; Matos insisted they didn't happen.

Cassidy reserved her harshest critique for Matos and McGreevey's parenting choices, saying she was concerned there was no way to shield Jacqueline McGreevey from the harsh spotlight of her parents' public anger and bitterness.

"If they want to make this a public issue, they have every right to do that," said Cassidy, who granted the McGreeveys' divorce last month. "They have to think how this will affect not only them but their child."

"She just started school. She's a first grader," the judge said. "People talk."

The couple share custody of the child, with McGreevey assessed $1,075 a month in child support.