Tom Goldberg Esq is a character in Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a minor character in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Biography
Background
Golberg is a lawyer at Goldberg, Ligner and Shyster, as well, one of the founders.
According to his law firm's website, Goldberg is credited for his work on human rights and charity works. He is considered a success within the legal profession. He is often the legal expert on Weazel News and is quoted several times in the Daily Globe. According to his secretary, when not working on his cases, he spends his time teaching disadvantaged young boys to swim.
When Niko is walking with the law firm's receptionist in the mission Final Interview, she mentions how Goldberg is always trying to make the world better and Niko is in trouble if he gets in his way. This could mean that Goldberg has a violent streak.
Events of GTA IV
During 2008, Goldberg discovered Francis McReary's corruption. He hired a blackmailer who got an evidence for a case against Francis. Francis, however, hired Niko Bellic to eliminate the blackmailer. Niko succeeded and killed the blackmailer, however, Goldberg already got some of the photos for his case, threatening Francis.
Francis sent Niko once again to kill Goldberg, by applying for the firm through an interview. Niko meets with Goldberg. During the interview, Goldberg tells Niko that Francis is a good cop, but due to his corruption, Goldberg will "crush" him. Niko soon threatened Goldberg and asked him where the files against Francis were located. After taking the files, Niko killed Goldberg.
Surprisingly, even after Goldberg is killed, his firm's website still shows his name and photo and doesn't mention his death.
After his death, his partner Dick Shyster says to the Liberty Tree that he will take over most of his cases.
Mission Appearences
- ...Final Interview (Killed)
Trivia
- When Niko threatens Tom Goldberg, Goldberg says, "Guns don't kill people, video games do!", a line frequently, but falsely, attributed to real-life former lawyer Jack Thompson, known for his antipathy towards violent video games, especially the Grand Theft Auto series. In fact, Thompson filed a complaint against Take-Two Interactive and said that he would "take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game" if the persona of Tom Goldberg was not changed by the game's release. Nothing was changed, and Jack Thompson never followed through.
- Tom Goldberg is the second lawyer named "Goldberg" in the GTA series, after GTA III's Maurice Goldberg, the lawyer of Salvatore Leone. These characters, however, appear in different continuities.
- Tom Goldberg vaguely resembles actor Robert De Niro; note in particular the mole under his right eye.