Man accused of slapping wife over Romney, Obama election dispute

A 74-year-old Hollywood man has been arrested for allegedly slapping his wife in a heated dispute about the 2012 presidential election, police say.

On Wednesday, Peter Schwartz told Broward County Judge John "Jay" Hurley that he and his wife argued after they had gone out to eat. He said his wife told him she disliked him because of his choice of presidential candidate.
"She said, 'You're like my mother, you like Romney. That means I don't like you,'" Schwartz said. "I said, 'I didn't say I don't like Romney.'"
Hurley said that before Schwartz sees his wife again, he wants the issue to "settle down." He ordered Schwartz to stay 500 feet away from his wife until another judge rules otherwise. Hurley allowed him only to talk to her by phone. The judge reminded Schwartz about the adage of never talking religion or politics in polite company.
"Sir, look where we've come in this," Hurley said. "Now, we have spouses coming at each other over this."
Schwartz reacted by raising his arms in the air. "It's ridiculous, your honor," he said.
Hollywood police responded to the couple's home in the 4000 block of Hillcrest Drive about 8 p.m. Tuesday, where Schwartz and his wife both said they argued about politics, police said.
According to police, Schwartz said he slapped his wife on the left side of her face and pushed her, causing her to fall on some grass outside a building. His wife told police that she had run away from Schwartz as he yelled at her about President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
As of this year, Schwartz and his wife were listed as voters with no party affiliation, records show. "I'm going to be 75 in a month and a half," Schwartz said at Wednesday's hearing. "My wife is 47, and I treasure her more than my life."