PALM BEACH GARDENS -- Responding for the first time to reports he paid $121,000 to prevent a lawsuit by a former staffer with whom he allegedly had an affair, Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney on Tuesday acknowledged causing ''pain'' to his family, but said he broke no laws and would fight for his reelection.

Mahoney, accompanied by his wife, appeared before reporters for less than two minutes in a meeting room at the PGA National Resort. Looking tired and sounding hoarse, he read a prepared statement and took no questions.

''I have not violated my oath of office, nor have I violated any laws, and I consider this to be a private matter,'' Mahoney said.

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio accused the Democrats of an ''entirely inadequate'' response to the Mahoney controversy.

Mahoney was narrowly elected in 2006 after Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Foley abruptly resigned in a sex scandal.

Mahoney campaigned as a candidate ``who believes in faith, family and personal responsibility.''

The Foley fallout extended beyond Florida's Congressional District 16. Boehner and other House Republican leaders were accused by Democrats of failing to act on prior signs of Foley's e-mail contact with underage male pages.

After the election, a House ethics committee panel found that Boehner, majority leader at the time, was among the key House members and staffers who ''did far too little'' to address concerns about Foley's behavior. But it said they violated no congressional rules.

ABC News reported Monday that Mahoney had had an affair with a woman who volunteered on his 2006 campaign, then worked on his congressional and campaign staffs before Mahoney fired her this year.

Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed Tuesday that after the woman, Patricia Allen, threatened Mahoney with a lawsuit, Mahoney agreed to a settlement that included $61,000 in severance pay and $60,000 for her attorney. The money did not come from Mahoney's campaign account or his congressional office budget, the sources said.

Mahoney called the timing of the report three weeks before the election ''politically motivated,'' and said he would continue to wage what was already expected to be a tough reelection fight against Republican challenger Tom Rooney.

Rooney had little to say Tuesday about the controversy.

''I want to know more. Everybody wants to know more,'' Rooney said. ``But I'm not going to speculate or answer any hypothetical questions.''

Rooney was attending a breakfast fundraiser with U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., who is chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Cole said the news about Mahoney had dramatically altered the race.

Later, Cole released a statement blasting Mahoney for not responding to questions and criticizing Mahoney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for seeking an ethics probe. Congress is in recess, and any congressional investigation would wait until after the election.

Cole said, ``It's clear Speaker Pelosi would like to sweep this matter under the rug through a lengthy investigation rather than shine the light of truth on the facts.''

A Pelosi spokesman said the speaker learned of the Mahoney matter only Monday and immediately called for swift action.

''Democrats are most likely going to throw [Mahoney] under the bus,'' said David Wasserman, who tracks congressional races for The Cook Political Report. ``They can afford this.''

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