We previously wrote about U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), a noted member of the Tea Party movement, who had been ordered by a judge to give an explanation for why he is $100,000 behind on child support payments to his ex-wife. The couple divorced in 2004 after 17 years of marriage.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the lawmaker has rejected his wife's claim that he owes her that amount of child support, and argues that he had their support agreement informally modified for a period of five years. In his court filing, he said that the modification was supposed to be in affect between 2005 and 2010, and that they had agreed on the modification because of weariness with fighting the matter out in court. Walsh also says that his ex-wife is attempting to take advantage of his election to the U.S. House last November.

The former couple reportedly has two adult children and one 17 years of age. Walsh contended that he'd been paying $2,134 in child support per month. According to his ex-wife' attorney, Walsh's government paycheck is currently being garnished for support of the 17-year-old. In his court filing, Walsh also defends himself against allegations of being a "deadbeat dad" by pointing out

As we noted in our last post on this issue, Walsh's wife has requested multiple court orders since their divorce seeking to compel him to meet his child support obligations. By her accounts, he made half-payments for awhile and eventually stopped sending any money at all, claiming to be financially distressed.

She filed yet another motion last year after she learned that Rep. Walsh had made a $35,000 contribution to his own political campaign. Walsh contends that money lent to his campaign "did not primarily come" from his own income. He says that his current wife also contributed some of those assets.

Court documents detail other contentions, but it is probably safe to say our readers get the picture. Unfortunately, divorce can sometimes be a messy process. And couple's who have more usually have it harder than those who have less.

Source: Chicago Tribune, "Walsh rejects ex-wife's claim for $100,000 in child support," Katherine Skiba, October 13, 2011.