Doug Emhoff 'slapped' ex-GF over suspected flirting with valet at public event, spills source
CANNES, FRANCE: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, 59, is accused of slapping his ex-girlfriend, a successful New York attorney, during a Cannes Film Festival gala in May 2012.
The altercation allegedly took place after Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris' husband, believed she was flirting with a valet, ending their three-month relationship.
Friend of Doug Emhoff's ex-girlfriend recalls their slapping incident at Cannes Film Festival
Three of the woman’s friends, who didn't want to be identified, revealed details of the incident to Daily Mail, sharing how deeply Doug Emhoff's actions impacted Jane (real name has been altered by the outlet).
One of Jane’s friends, a well-known New York businessman, recalled a tearful phone call he received from her shortly after the incident.
"It was hard to hear her because she was sobbing," he shared, adding that Jane had told him, "She was with a guy and he hit her."
He was unsure how to respond at the time, saying, "I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know whether to call the French police. I couldn’t get a hold of her after calling back."
The friend further "vividly" remembered the conversation, saying, "They were trying to get out of there and they both had been drinking."
He explained, "There was a gigantic line for taxis. [Jane] went up to one of the valet guys, offered him 100 Euros or whatever, to get to the head of the line," which apparently triggered the confrontation.
"She told me she put her hand on his shoulder. Doug apparently thought that she was flirting, and came over and slapped her in the face," he claimed. Jane allegedly retaliated by slapping Emhoff back.
Doug Emhoff allegedly slapped his ex-girlfriend very 'hard'
Another friend recounted Jane's shock after the incident involving Doug Emhoff, stating, "There’d been no fight before he hit her."
Jane allegedly confided, "You would have thought it was this fairytale trip." The friend added, "Doug slapped her so hard she spun around," and that Jane was "in utter shock."
According to the friend, Jane was so angry that she "slapped him on one side, and then on the other cheek with the other hand."
The friends, according to the publication, shared that Jane wanted to return to the hotel after the altercation, but Emhoff insisted on joining her in the car.
Jane was reportedly furious and her friends think she asked him, "What the f**k was that all about?" but Emhoff allegedly only responded that he believed she was flirting with the valet.
Jane, as per the friend, "was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe he is the person that he is, and that it turned into this trailer trash moment."
The friend added, "It woke her up about the self-delusion she was having," adding, "She realized he was bad news. This was the first time she saw his ugly side."
Doug Emhoff was unapologetic after wrongly accusing ex-girlfriend of hitting on valet
A third acquaintance revealed that Jane shared the story in 2018 when Doug Emhoff's wife, Kamala Harris, was in the news for grilling Brett Kavanaugh over assault allegations.
"She said it was something she would never forget, and something that would end a relationship immediately," the friend said of Jane. "She had never been hit in her life. [Jane] is a gorgeous, strong woman and you would never expect somebody to hit her."
The acquaintance also claimed that Emhoff showed no remorse after the incident. "When he hit her she hit him back, like, 'Don't you ever do that again,'" she reported.
"I asked her if he ever apologized. She said no, but he commented about the hit she gave him. It was a tennis metaphor. But no apology at all," the acquaintance revealed.
According to Jane’s friends, the relationship ended after Emhoff returned to Los Angeles for his daughter Ella’s 13th birthday, and the two never saw each other again.
