D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Assistant City Administrator Chris Rodriguez remains on administrative leave while an “internal process” is underway.
Rodriguez, who also serves as the District’s acting chief technology officer, was arrested last week on allegations of misdemeanor domestic assault charges. According to an arrest report, first reported by NBC Washington, Rodriguez allegedly pushed his wife to the ground “with both hands.”
Since that time, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. has indicated that it is not pursuing charges in the case.
Speaking at an event in Northeast D.C., Bowser said she was aware of a police report but that Rodriguez is entitled to “due process.” Referring to the case, and Rodriguez’s status in D.C. government, Bowser said, “Our internal processes will kick in about the review of that incident.”
Court documents show that Rodriguez’s wife, Amanda, filed a temporary restraining order that detailed several incidents that left her “fearful,” including the Nov. 1 case that led to Rodriguez’s arrest.
The order describes several incidents between mid-September and Oct. 30, and that there had been at least one “heated argument” between the two. She also described an incident in which she said her husband threw a cup of coffee at the wall near her, leading her to run from their Northwest D.C. home.
Sunday night, attorneys issued a statement on behalf of Rodriguez and his wife, stating that “a family medical emergency” created stress and anxiety for the couple, that “neither person physically harmed the other,” and that neither party intended for an arrest connected to what they called a verbal dispute.
The statement from attorneys Amy Spain and Katherine O’Rourke said, “Both parties wish to move forward to work amicably, and they request privacy at this time to focus on their children.”
Rodriguez is a longtime member of Bowser’s administration. He was the director of D.C.’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency until 2023.
Rodriguez also served as the incident commander for D.C.’s COVID-19 response.
He is the latest member of Bowser’s administration to face legal troubles.
In June, former Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio was found to have sexually harassed a city employee, according to a probe.
Chris Geldart, a top D.C. public safety official, resigned in October of last year after being accused of assault.
