Mayor Villaraigosa Defends Girlfriend Mirthala Salinas

LOS ANGELES, July 23, 2007 (KABC-TV) (KABC) -- Mayor Villaraigosa says he talks to Mirthala Salinas everyday. He continues to support what he calls her high journalistic standards. When the mayor announced he was separating from, Corina Villaraigosa his wife of 20 years, Salinas reported the story from the anchor desk.

Antonio Villaraigosa says he expects Salinas will be vindicated, but he admitted Monday morning no one connected with the investigation had ever contacted him.

"I think the general assessment, at least from what I'm hearing from a lot of you and have been reading in the paper is that there has been some attempt to kind of push it in another direction as opposed to taking responsibility," says Villaraigosa.

Salinas and Villaraigosa have had a relationship for nearly two years. About a year ago, the mayor says Salinas told her bosses about the affair.

She was pulled off political reporting and assigned to general assignments and backup anchor.

Telemundo then knew of the affair, once Salinas was allowed to report the mayor's separation from his wife. Corina Villaraigosa filed for divorce the following day.

At an event on Monday the mayor was asked if he plans to marry Salinas.

"I announced the fact that I have a relationship with Ms. Salinas and we continue to have a relationship. I'm not going into the details of it and I'm certainly not going to propose to you or through you. So why don't we leave it at that," says Villaraigosa.

There is still no word from Telemundo whether they're going to take any action.

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