A Tennessee conservative commentator has been accused of abuse by his wife, who claimed in court papers that he threatened to “destroy” her if she tried to leave him.
The allegations were revealed in a temporary order of protection that the woman filed against WLAC radio show host Steve Gill, who was jailed last week for nine days for not paying $170,000 in child support to his ex-wife, Kathryn, The Tennessean reported.
In the order, Gill’s wife claims she has not been able to live in their Brentwood home since February and that Gill — a former congressional candidate — threatened to use his power to ruin her life if she left him.
“The history of his abuse, intimidation, verbal threats of what he’ll do [to] those I love,” the wife wrote in court papers, according to the news outlet. “That he will take everything I have and use his power and influence to destroy me.
A 2006 photo of Steve GillAP“Steve has pushed me, grabbed me. He liked to block me in the shower when I am nude, screaming at me, intimidating me, calling me disgusting names.
“I need protection,” she wrote. “I am terrified. He is ‘influenced’ and ‘powerful’ and he used that to try to keep [me] from escaping.”
Under the order, Gill must stay away from his wife and not contact her. He will also have to leave the family home, undergo a certified batterers intervention program and cannot possess any firearms.
His wife has filed for divorce.
With Post wires
