SPRIESTER SESSIONS: Brockhouses break their silence

Family clears air about domestic abuse allegations

SAN ANTONIO – She's telling her story on her terms.

Annalisa Brockhouse has been waiting months to talk about the domestic violence allegations leveled during the San Antonio mayor's race, in which her husband, former District 6 Councilman Greg Brockhouse, ran against incumbent Ron Nirenberg in the city election.

“This conversation is long overdue,” Annalisa Brockhouse said.

In a KSAT conference room under bright lights, Greg and Annalisa Brockhouse talked about the allegations and whether it cost Greg Brockhouse the election.

Annalisa Brockhouse denies a domestic violence incident occurred, though she did admit to calling police.

“Never, never — that has never been a part of our marriage, our family life, ever at any point in our marriage. (It) has never been an element of our relationship,” Annalisa Brockhouse said.

For months, she has been largely silent on the domestic violence allegations against her husband except to say it didn't happen. However, she is silent no more and wanted to detail her experience during the election.

“I didn't sleep for this election. This entire election, I lost sleep over this, and there were times I told Greg: ‘That's it. I can't live like this anymore. We cannot live like this anymore. I have to tell the story,’” she said.

CLICK HERE to watch the entire interview with the Brockhouses

Annalisa Brockhouse doesn’t think her silence cost her husband the election, but for the first time, she detailed the 2009 call and police report that were the source of attacks against him. She said that, after an argument over breast milk, her husband left the home and she takes responsibility for what happened next.

“I was standing in the middle of this vortex of postpartum depression. I threatened to call the police. He said, 'You should.' That was it for me,” Annalisa Brockhouse said.

She said it’s a call she deeply regrets, as she had physical and mental health issues after the birth of their son.

Annalisa Brockhouse said she wanted to talk months ago, but her husband didn't want her to go through more public scrutiny.

“There were people sitting right next to my wife after she fully denied everything with signs calling me a wife beater. Like, it was unbelievable how bad it got. But one side used it as a means to get votes, and I used it as a means just to protect my wife,” Greg Brockhouse said.

“There's no, there's no objective here. There's nothing to gain. This was my — this was my initiative. I needed to tell the truth. I needed to tell my story. We had nothing to gain. We have nothing to lose here,” Annalisa Brockhouse said.

The Brockhouses said they legally got the police report erased or expunged at Annalisa Brockhouse's insistence, and a judge agreed. They went through counseling and thought they'd closed the door on what happened almost 10 years ago. Now, embarrassed, emotional and angry, they are hoping to clear their name and hope that these types of political attacks stop.

“I felt like no matter what I said, I was going to — I wasn't going to make anybody happy. They wanted a story that wasn't true. I don't know what else — we didn't know what else to say,” Annalisa Brockhouse said.

“I will never, ever sacrifice my family to win an election, and I think I proved that to my wife. The biggest part was I just want her to be proud, and no matter what, we were the same people who came in at the end of the race when we're in a better fit, and we accomplished it. There's no hanging our heads at the end of this thing,” Greg Brockhouse said.

As for their future, Greg Brockhouse doesn't think he'll run for mayor again but wants to remain active in the community. Annalisa Brockhouse said she plans on being even more outspoken about mental health issues and the stigma associated with them and how it's a sign of strength, not weakness, to ask for help.


About the Author:

Steve Spriester started at KSAT in 1995 as a general assignments reporter. Now, he anchors the station's top-rated 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.