I-Team: Richardson's Ex-wife Talks

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - It was a political bombshell that rocked the state Capitol. This month, House Speaker Glenn Richardson announced that he had tried to take his own life. Richardson blamed the suicide attempt on depression resulting from his divorce. On Monday, Richardson's ex-wife told her side of the story.

Susan Richardson said she wanted Georgia voters to know why she divorced her husband and what led up to his surprising announcement. Richardson said she could no longer keep her ex-husband's secrets.

Richardson said that after the announcement of her ex-husband's suicide attempt, she felt he and others blamed her for his depression.

"I don't think it was because he was depressed. I think it was power and control that motivated him to do this," said Richardson.

Richardson said that the people who felt sorry for her ex-husband when they heard the news of his recent suicide attempt didn't know the whole story.

"People wouldn't feel sorry for him if they knew how he truly behaved and what led to this. They wouldn't feel sorry for him," said Richardson.

Glenn and Susan Richardson were married for 17 years. The couple divorced in February of 2008, a year after an ethics complaint was filed accusing him of an inappropriate relationship with a lobbyist.

On November 13, Glenn Richardson released a statement to the media saying he had tried to commit suicide because he struggled with depression following his "separation and divorce."

"I don't really believe it was really an attempt to take his life. I think it was for attention and he got it," said Richardson.

Richardson said that her ex-husband wanted to reconcile and was livid that she had started dating. In November, Richardson went out of town on a trip and she left her children with her ex-husband.

Richardson said that during the weekend, her ex-husband sent her 49 text messages, accusing her of abandoning the children, threatening to turn her into Division of Family and Children Services, beat her up and use the Georgia State patrol and GBI to look for her.

"It's not about our marriage ending. He's lost control of me. He doesn't like that," said Richardson.

Richardson said the tension between her and her ex-husband escalated on Sunday, November 8 when she refused to talk to him or return his calls.

That night, Glenn Richardson's mother called 911, telling rescue workers that her son told her he had taken pills and was trying to kill himself.

"He called me from his hospital room, the next day, and said, 'Now, are you going to take me back?' I said, 'No, I'm not going to take you back. I'm furious with you, the pain you've caused everyone who loves you,'" said Susan Richardson.

Susan Richardson said she didn't believe her ex-husband suffered from depression and he often threatened to commit suicide. Richardson contended that it was in an effort to control those around him. "He did this before, when he got caught by me for having an affair with someone," said Richardson.

When asked if she was referring to the "alleged inappropriate relationship" that was the source of a state ethics complaint filed against Glenn Richardson in 2006 Susan Richardson responded, "It's not an alleged inappropriate relationship. It was a full out affair and I knew about it."

Richardson said her husband admitted to her he was having an affair with a lobbyist for Atlanta Gas Light after she found their airline tickets to Las Vegas. Richardson said she obtained emails that spelled out a long, intimate relationship between Richardson and the lobbyist.

According to Susan Richardson, when rumors of the affair surfaced at the Capitol, the woman wrote that she was afraid her Atlanta Gas Light boss would fire her.

Richardson said her ex-husband responded, "He will not fire you!! I can and will bring all hell down on them if they do."

That year, Atlanta Gas Light lobbied for a bill, co-sponsored by Richardson that allowed them to build a $300 million pipeline. The bill passed in the House but stalled in the Senate.

The alleged relationship between Glenn Richardson and the lobbyist sparked rumors and a conflict of interest complaint against Richardson. Richardson called the complaint a "baseless political attack."

"He had his wife, had his family. He looked good and he had girlfriends on the side. That worked pretty well for him. He didn't want to give that up," said Susan Richardson.

The Joint Legislative Ethics Committee dismissed the complaint. Soon after, Glenn Richardson went on the attack, telling people the rumors of an affair were poison and he was ready to fight back.

Richardson was re-elected as House Speaker. At the swearing in, he asked his wife to come up on the stage and hold the Bible so he could take his oath of office.

"I was not thrilled to be asked that. I told him that was one of the cruelest things he'd asked me to do. To stand there and hold a Bible, knowing he had lied," said Susan Richardson

In the end, Susan Richardson asked for a divorce, which was finally granted February of 2008. Susan Richardson said she didn't mention adultery in the filings and agreed to keep her ex-husband's secrets. That is until he began, what she called a controlling, abusive attempt to bring her back.

Richardson said that after her ex-husband took an overdose, she felt he blamed her for his depression and she felt she had to speak out.

"I'm clean of all your secrets. I hold no more. I don't want to be involved in this anymore. You are on your own," said Susan Richardson.

Both Glenn Richardson and Atlanta Gas Light were contacted about this story, but could not be reached for comment.

The former Atlanta Gas Light lobbyist who was linked to Richardson resigned in December of 2006. She also could not be reached for comment.