A Status Check - August 2025
It’s important to me to pause and provide an honest update—not just for those who’ve reached out directly, but also for anyone who may be following my story from afar.
Legal Landscape
As many of you know, there are both criminal charges and a civil case that have received significant attention. In the civil matter, the federal judge has stayed the case. At present, I am working with the plaintiff and their counsel on the possibility of reaching a settlement outside of court. My hope is that it will be equitable, that it will provide closure, and that it will allow all involved to move forward.
The criminal case is still ongoing. My attorneys are doing their work, and I am placing my trust in the legal process. I am fully cooperating with the judicial system. I believe in accountability, and I ask for continued human empathy and compassion where available—though I know I am not owed either.
I would also be remiss not to note my deep disappointment in the way some “news” outlets have covered these matters. Misinformation has been published, including the false suggestion that the civil matter has been influenced in any way by the criminal matter. That is simply not true, and the judge has said as much on record in open court.
Remorse and Reflection
What weighs on me most is not the articles or the speculation about me—it’s the ripple effect on the people I care about. My husband, my family, and my friends have been judged simply for standing beside me. They did not choose this storm, yet they are forced to weather it.
For that, I carry deep shame and guilt. I regret the hurt, the disappointment, and the scrutiny that has touched people who should never have had to bear it.
I do not take that lightly.
The Human Toll
What has been especially painful is watching my husband, Michael—an innocent bystander in all of this—savagely ripped apart by people he once considered friends. People who lacked even the most basic human capacity for empathy or compassion dedicated countless hours to harassing him by phone and text.
It’s been eye-opening, standing beside him and supporting him as he came to realize that what he thought were friendships were, in fact, conditional arrangements—people waiting in the tall grass, ready to pounce. Conditional friendship is not friendship. It’s exploitation. And this has been a master class in seeing people for who they really are.
That comes with a lot of emotions. Michael and I made vows to each other five years ago, vows we fought hard for the right to make. Our marriage is sacred to us. While some of my past behavior was selfish and self-centered, we have walked a path of reconciliation over the past year and today we are closer than ever.
For that, I am deeply grateful. Michael has been my rock and my compass through all of this. We look forward to a long future together, grounded in love, loyalty, and truth.
It has also forced me to confront the double standard that some straight people—especially those who opposed our right to marry in the first place—still hold. For years, the argument was that same-sex marriage would invalidate the sanctity of marriage, that it would “put marriage to shame.” Now, some of those same voices are the ones advocating divorce, urging us to walk away from the very vows we fought for. It’s easy to sit in the cheap seats and throw peanuts, but Michael and I choose to honor our marriage, not abandon it.
Reputation and Narrative
When someone searches my name today, the headlines come first. That’s the reality. I am working with professionals to ensure that over time, more complete and balanced parts of my story are visible as well. This isn’t about vanity—it’s about not allowing half-truths or accusations alone to define me forever.
And it raises a question worth asking: do these current legal challenges cancel out decades of building, of community preservation, of battling for civil rights, and of dedicating myself to advancing equity in an industry that desperately needed it? I don’t believe they should.
Work and Next Chapters
Meanwhile, life hasn’t stopped. Through my consulting company, RAW Insight, I continue to advise organizations and individuals on growth, transition, and legacy planning. These projects keep me grounded, and they remind me that work worth doing must continue even in difficult seasons.
I have also been writing my memoir for over a year, and it is nearly complete. I’m excited to soon be sending the manuscript for review to a few world-renowned publishing houses for consideration. It won’t be a defense—it will be a reflection. A story of storms and survival, of what it means to be human, and of what comes next.
Moving Forward
A friend recently reminded me of something I’ve taken to heart:
“Own your actions. Find a plan to become the next phase of you. Keep your head up. Make positive choices that make you and those around you proud.”
He also reminded me that past actions do not define me—but current and future ones will. And he’s right. I can’t undo what has happened, but I can write the next chapter with clarity, sobriety, and purpose.
That’s what I’m focused on now: moving forward, staying positive, rewriting the narrative, and doing better—not just for myself, but for everyone my actions affect.
This year has tested me more than any before it. I am humbled. I am remorseful. And I remain committed to learning from it, to doing better, and to finding dignity in the long process of rebuilding.
For those who continue to extend grace, compassion, and patience: thank you. It matters more than you know.