LOS ANGELES – A Spanish-language newscaster who was suspended for two months after having an affair with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa while reporting on him left her job at the station on Monday.
A KVEA-TV spokesman declined to elaborate why Mirthala Salinas did not show up to start her new assignment following the unpaid suspension.
"Telemundo and Mirtha Salinas have mutually agreed to end our employment relationship effective October 1," station spokesman Victor M. Franco said.
Salinas, 35, worked at the station for a decade. Her contract with Telemundo expires in December.
A call and e-mail message to Salinas' spokeswoman were not immediately returned.
Salinas was a fill-in anchor on evening newscasts in June when she announced the news of Villaraigosa's separation from his wife, Corina. Salinas led the story by saying, "The rumors were true."
What she didn't tell viewers was that she had been in an extramarital affair with Villaraigosa for many months.
The mayor acknowledged the long-rumored affair on July 3 after a newspaper story revealed details of the relationship. His wife has filed for divorce.
Salinas was placed on leave while her employer conducted an internal investigation. She was later suspended for two months without pay for what network president Don Browne said was a "flagrant violation" of the network's ethics guidelines.
Three Telemundo employees also were disciplined. They included KVEA news director Al Corral, who was suspended without pay for two months, and the station's general manager, Manuel Abud, who was reassigned to another position. Ibra Morales, president of Telemundo stations, was reprimanded.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox