It turns out there’s another side to Joe Williams, the White House Correspondent and former college football player who recently parted ways with Politico. On May 24 of this year, he plead guilty to second degree assault against his ex-wife, paid a $200 fine and received six months of probation. His probation ends on November 24, 2012. Other charges he plead out include disorderly conduct and affray (i.e. a public order offense that consists of fighting in a public place). His ex-wife, author Amy Alexander, obtained a year long court order against him that began in February, 2012. The pair has two children whom he regularly sees…

We reached out to Williams today by phone to inquire about the court order and the reasons why it was issued. He called this a “ridiculous story” and said he has nothing to say until we speak with his Silver Spring attorney Shawn Bartley. We left a message for Bartley at his office. We requested comment from Alexander. We also sought comment from Politico Editor-in-Chief John Harris to inquire if he knew there was a current court order and assault charge against Williams. We also asked what Politico‘s policy is about conducting criminal background checks on potential employees. Most publications simply ask for references.

As has been widely reported, Politico suspended Williams after he told a national TV audience that Mitt Romney is more at ease around white people and called his own publication a “shitburger” when it comes to diversity and race. Williams lawyered up. He went on and off Twitter so much it gave us whiplash. Ultimately Politico‘s Editor, Harris, released a memo declaring that the publication and Williams came to a mutual agreement that Williams should move on.

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