Political power couple, art collectors’ divorce not so amicable

Wisconsin art aficionados may be familiar with the art-collecting Washington power couple Tony and Heather Podesta, if not for their valuable holdings then perhaps for their lobbying activities. It seems that the couple’s divorce, part of a split announced in 2013 and characterized as amicable, may not be as friendly as they had originally portrayed.

Tony Podesta filed for marital dissolution in April 2014, accusing Heather Podesta of misleading him about their chances for reconciliation when he provided half the down payment on her new mansion in March 2013. At the same time, he says, she had already started a new relationship unbeknownst to him. In addition, he claims that his wife had contacted prestigious museums requesting that they block him from donating art to them. She is also accused of changing the locks on their shared Italian apartment to keep her husband out. The filing claims that Heather Podesta had sought to harass and embarrass her husband in an effort to gain financial leverage over him.

The Podestas were a major power inside the Washington Beltway during the presidency of Bill Clinton. Tony Podesta’s brother was chief of staff for the White House and later served as a counselor to President Barack Obama. Heather Podesta was formerly a Capitol Hill staffer and started her own lobbying firm in 2007.

Power couples may face as many emotional challenges as those less influential when it comes to filing for divorce. Property division, child custody and spousal support are contentious legal issues that many face during the marital dissolution process. However, divorce attorneys can provide guidance so that their clients can keep control of the assets that really matter to them.

Source: The Washington Post, “Tony Podesta divorce filing: wife Heather Podesta tried to ‘embarrass and harass’“, Emily Heil, April 03, 2014