Louise Linton, actor and wife of billionaire Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, apologized for her materialistic Instagram post of last month in a cover story with Washington Life Magazine. The publication bills itself as "the D.C. Metro area's premier guide to luxury, power, philanthropy & style."
Although Linton released a statement about the Instagram last month via her publicist, Linton expressed further regret for her post in the new interview while wearing a mix of colorful gala fashions with her blonde hair styled just so.
She also further apologized for her fiery comment to Jenni Miller, who she initially called "adorably out of touch" and asked "have you given more to the economy than me and my husband?"
Linton told the Washington Life reporter:
I want to say I concede completely to the comments of my critics. My post itself and the following response were indefensible. Period,” Linton said. “I don’t have any excuses, nor do I feel any self-pity for the backlash I experienced. I sincerely take ownership of my mistake. It’s clear I was the one who was truly out of touch and my response was reactionary and condescending. I wish I hadn’t spoken in such a patronizing tone. It was an out-of-character knee-jerk reaction, and I felt so awful about it that I removed it.
Linton also said that she had "no place to talk about sacrifice when there are millions of men and women making real sacrifices for this country every day." She told the reporter that she should have "stuck to posting pictures of rescue dogs and daily life."
The controversy around Linton began late last month when she not only credited every expensive designer item on an Instagram-posted image of her and her husband disembarking from a government jet after a day trip to Kentucky, but also struck back hard at a follower who took offense to her ostentatious post. Linton quickly deleted the photo, but her reaction to her critics underlined her status as a political newbie and inspired an even larger backlash.
Linton posed for the cover story in luxe frock and said "I see the irony of making an apology in a ball gown." So, it's not that she has a lack of sense, just a lack of shame.
She continued:
It would be dishonest to proclaim that I’m never going to another social function. That's also part of my life. Charity fundraising galas have always been a wonderful way to support a myriad of causes. Whether I’m in a ball gown or a pair of jeans, it’s not about me or what I’m wearing, it’s about what I can be doing to support and empower others going forward. I hope my actions speak more for me in the future than my hashtags!
Swell.
As for Jenni Miller, Linton said if she could speak to the mother of three face to face, she would say, "I'm very sorry, sincerely. I would ask her about the causes that are important to her and perhaps find something that we could work on together in the spirit of unity and love."
Miller told Vanity Fair: "I haven’t heard from [Linton] or anyone associated with her. I have heard from many other strangers who were able to reach me. Most of them have been very supportive. Most thank me for saying what they were thinking."
An investigation into whether Mnuchin broke the law by using the taxpayer-funded jet to fly to Kentucky so that he and Linton could witness the solar eclipse from the top of the Fort Knox gold reserve is still ongoing.
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