Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bloomberg Gets Hammered Over Ex-Deputy Mayor's Domestic Violence Arrest
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 2, 2011
Modified Sep 2, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
NYC Mayor's Office
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 2, 2011
Modified Sep 2, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Bloomberg was probably thinking he could discuss his praiseworthy Hurricane Irene preparations during his weekly radio show today. Instead, he cancelled his appearance over the controversy of how former Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith resigned his position: While the Mayor's office said that Goldsmith was pursuing "private-sector opportunities in infrastructure finance," Goldsmith actually resigned because he had been arrested for domestic violence in Washington D.C.
According to the arrest report (see below), his wife Margaret called the police to their Georgetown townhouse on July 3 ("C-1 reports she got into a verbal altercation with S-1, her husband. C-1 stated to S-1 'I should have put a bullet through you years ago'. At that time S-1 shoved C-1 into the kitchen counter. C-1 stated to S-1 'Your not going to do this to me again, I'm calling the police.' S-1 then grabbed the phone from C-1's hands and threw it onto the ground, breaking the phone."). Goldsmith spent two days in jail and his wife did not press charges. Margaret Goldsmith told the Post yesterday that the arrest was a "big mistake. I can only tell you it was an enormous misunderstanding. It just got out of control," and insisted that her husband wasn't planning on resigning from the Bloomberg administration before the incident but he felt it would have been distracting to the Mayor.
Since Goldsmith immediately told Bloomberg about the arrest, other officials are upset that the mayor got to whitewash the reason why Goldsmith departed. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said, "I am deeply troubled by the news that one of the Mayor's highest-ranking aides resigned weeks ago after being arrested in a reported domestic violence incident, and spent two nights in jail -- but we are only learning this today, in a belated newspaper account. The Mayor and his staff should give a full accounting of what they knew and when they knew it.... The Deputy Mayor for Operations isn't just another aide -- the position is directly responsible for oversight of the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies that routinely confront the issue of domestic violence.
City Comptroller John Liu chimed in, "It appears the Mayor was not upfront with New Yorkers. He should take the next opportunity to level with the City about the events surrounding the Deputy Mayor’s resignation.” And there was also NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio: "While Deputy Mayor Goldsmith’s resignation was more than appropriate given the circumstances, New Yorkers deserve a full airing of the facts known to the Administration." Keep in mind, these three are 2013 mayoral hopefuls.
A domestic violence advocate, Liz Roberts of Safe Horizon, told the NY Times, "If we are going to hold the regular people of New York City accountable for not being violent in their relationships, we need to hold our senior leaders and officials, too," and called this incident "troubling."
Mayor spokesman Marc La Vorgna said, "We have nothing to add to Mrs. Goldsmith's account of the incident, but it was clear to the Mayor and Mr. Goldsmith that he could no longer serve at City Hall, regardless of his guilt or innocence."
Stephen Goldsmith Arrest Report
Tagged
d.c.
deputy mayor
domestic violence
margaret goldsmith
mayor bloomberg
stephen goldsmith
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
The DSA's NYC chapter accused the NYPD of collaborating with ICE and demanded Mayor Mamdani hold Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch responsible.
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 6:31 p.m. ET
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
When officers arrived on the scene in Allerton Friday afternoon, they found three pedestrians who were unconscious with trauma to the head and body, according to the NYPD. Two individuals later died.
By
Kaya Laterman
News
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
When officers arrived on the scene in Allerton Friday afternoon, they found three pedestrians who were unconscious with trauma to the head and body, according to the NYPD. Two individuals later died.
By
Kaya Laterman
NY will opt in Trump’s school choice program, Hochul says
By
Jon Campbell
Residents, lawmakers warned for months of potential for deadly ICE activity in Marble Hill
By
David Brand
Manhattan DA argues judge shouldn't dismiss state charges against Luigi Mangione
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .