Domestic Violence Arrest Led To Goldsmith's Firing As New York's Deputy Mayor

It turns out that his performance as New York's Deputy Mayor was not what led to former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith's recent firing. The New York Post reports that Goldsmith had been arrested by police after he was accused of a domestic violence altercation with his wife.

The blizzard didn't bury him -- roughing up his wife did.

Former Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith -- who drew sharp criticism for bungling the Christmas storm that shut down the city -- actually resigned in disgrace after his wife, fearing for her life, had him arrested during an argument turned violent, The Post has learned.

Just days before he suddenly stepped down as Mayor Bloomberg's chief of operations, Goldsmith was arrested at his Georgetown home after his wife, Margaret, told cops he smashed a phone and grabbed her as she desperately tried to call cops, a Washington, DC, police report reveals.

The shocking report describes in dramatic detail how a "verbal altercation" between the former Indianapolis mayor, 64, and his wife in their ritzy house turned ugly at around 11:30 p.m. July 30.

"I should have put a bullet through you years ago!" Margaret, 59, allegedly told Goldsmith, the report revealed.

Stephen Goldsmith then "shoved [Margaret into] the kitchen counter," according to the report.

"You're not going to do this to me again, I'm calling the police," Margaret responded, the report said.

Goldsmith "then grabbed the phone from her hands and threw it onto the ground, breaking the phone. He then grabbed [Margaret] and refused to let her go."

"She kept screaming, 'Let me go, let me go,' " as Stephen refused to let her out of his grasp, according to the report.

"She dug her nails into [Stephen's] forearms," causing him to release Margaret, who then "ran to the other room to call police."

Cops arrived and arrested Stephen for "simple assault domestic violence," the report said. Margaret complained of back pain but refused medical attention.

Goldsmith spent two days locked up in a DC jail, but prosecutors declined to press the case after Margaret decided not to pursue it . . .

There have been rumors of this sort about Goldsmith for years. A number of friends of his ex-wife have recounted tales of domestic violence during his first marriage. The news media in Indianapolis, particularly the Star, always guarded Goldsmith from those damning allegations after he married Margaret, a member of the Pulliam family that formerly owned the Star before selling the family's newspaper fortune to Gannett. Even Margaret is now protecting him from the charges she made against him that led to his arrest. The Post report continues:

Margaret Goldsmith, who suffers from lupus, yesterday strenuously denied that her husband got violent with her.

"There was no domestic violence that occurred between my husband and myself," said Margaret, who wed Stephen in 1988 after prior marriages for both. "Nor has there ever been in the history of the marriage.

"It was a big mistake," she said of his arrest. "I can only tell you it was an enormous misunderstanding. It just got out of control."

Stephen said, "Because, according to the officers, DC law required an arrest, one was made over the objection of my wife, and no charges were ever filed.

"Although Margaret, under oath, has affirmed the absence of violence and my actual innocence, I offered my resignation in order not to be a distraction to the mayor and his important agenda for the city." . . . 

Steve and Margaret have gone into full damage control with this statement they released to the Star this morning:

Goldsmith and his wife issued a statement this morning denying that any crime was committed, despite the detailed police report from Washington, D.C., police about the July 30 incident for which Goldsmith spent two days locked up in jail. No charges were filed as Mrs. Goldsmith would not pursue charges.

Margaret Goldsmith said in the statement that “there was no crime committed by Stephen or myself. There was no violence nor any physical harm... There have never been any kind of domestic assault or violence in our marriage.”

She said the report, which details an ugly scene at their Georgetown home, “misconstrued as well as (took) out of context” what happened.

Goldsmith said in the statement that “Magaret and I agree that the facts have not been accurately portrayed. Because, according to the officers, DC law required an arrest, one was made over the objection of my wife and no charges were ever filed. Although Margaret under oath has affirmed the absence of violence and my actual innocence, I offered my resignation in order not to be a distraction to the mayor and his important agenda for the city.”

The couple said they would have no further comment.

A copy of the police report can be accessed here.