Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the storyThe Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirms it is investigating claims of physical abuse made by the wife of Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman.
A police report shows Berman's wife, Michelle, called a counselor with the Gilbert Police Department last week claiming Berman had threatened to kill her, and physically harm her father.
Mayor Berman denies the allegations, telling Sheriff's Deputies "he did not touch Michelle" and that his wife "has an issue with prescription pain killers."
Gilbert Police said they turned the investigation over to MSCO to avoid a possible conflict of interest since the suspect is the Mayor of Gilbert.
According to the report, Michelle Berman told deputies she and her husband, who married in November, filed separate tax returns.
Michelle said Steve wanted a copy of her tax return, but she was "unwilling to provide the documents to Steven."
She told the interviewing Sergeant her husband was "in desperate need for money." She said she didn't want him getting a loan with her tax information.
According to the report, Michelle said they are living in a 10,000 square foot home they can't afford.
She suggested moving but said "Steve has told her that he will not live like a commoner and that they Mayor is too good to live in a tract home."
In the report, Michelle is quoted telling deputies, "Steve has been threatening and physically and mentally harming her."
Michelle Berman said her husband told her on the phone, "If you don't give me the tax return, I'm going to kill you and I'm going to pound that bastard (referring to Michelle's father) into the ground."
Michelle also stated that she did not want to press charges against him because she believes that "Steve will either kill her himself or have one of his friends kill her."
The report goes on to say that "Michelle stated that if she causes Steve to lose an election, then he would have nothing more to lose and she believes that he would kill her."
Mayor Berman told deputies he did ask his wife for her tax return so he could get a loan to fund his daughter's college education. Berman said the loan officer needed the tax return or the loan would not be funded.
Mayor Berman admits in the report to calling his father-in-law names but he said "he really had no intention of punching Michelle's father."
Berman also admits to punching a hole in the wall of his home but said to deputies, "I put a hole in the wall, I didn't touch her." He said, "I've never touched her."
According to the report, Steve Berman told officers his wife "has an awful lot of trouble telling the truth about things."
In an email to MCSO, Berman's attorney, Melvin McDonald, wrote "Mayor Berman has never laid a hand on his estranged wife and never will."
McDonald blames the abuse claims on a "woman who had a long and verifiable history of drug abuse."
McDonald asks deputies to "conclude this investigation as soon as practicable."
