Robert Levy

The Atlantic City Democratic Committee tonight voted to send the names of City Administrator Domenic Cappella, Democratic Municipal Chairman Scott Evans, and former City Councilwoman Barbara Hudgins -- all allies of Craig Callaway's political machine -- to the City Council as possible replacements for Robert Levy.  Levy resigned as Mayor earlier this month amidst a series of scandals.  The City Council has until November 9 to consider the choices; if they can't agree, the municipal party committee could pick a new Mayor.

Frank Barbera, the former Atlantic County GOP Treasurer, was arrested on bribery charges
Frank Barbera, the former Treasurer of the Atlantic County Republican Party and a political ally of County Executive Dennis Levinson, was arrested by FBI agents this week on bribery charges, a month after a suicide attempt. He was found in his car with what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his chest.

Barbera is accused of offering a $5,000 bribe to Craig Callaway in 2005, while Callaway was serving as the Atlantic City Council President. Callaway is now serving a 40-month sentence following his own bribery conviction.

If not for his criminal conviction, Craig Callaway would be taking office as the Mayor of Atlantic City.  He resigned as City Council President last year after being sentenced to 40 months in a federal prison for accepting bribes.  

Callaway was one of several recent Atlantic City Councilmen to be convicted on corruption charges: Gibb Jones got five years on probation for extortion and Ramon Rosario was sentenced to ten months in prison for taking bribes. Another Councilman, Martin Small, was aquitted.

Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy has returned to his home after spending nearly two weeks at a substance abuse and mental health clinic.  His AWOL status has become a national news story.  Levy's whereabouts was disclosed by his attorney today -- three days before a Superior Court Judge was to hear a petition from a City Councilman to declare the office vacant.

Atlantic City Councilmen Bruce Ward is asking the state Superior Court to declare the Office of the Mayor vacant, which would permit City Council President William Marsh to assume the position of acting mayor.

Mayor Bob Levy signed seven ordinances and then disappeared from public view on Wednesday, September 26, amid rumors that the federal government is investigating his service record benefits. His attorney, Edwin Jacobs, has said that Levy is in an undisclosed medical facility.

Democrats in Atlantic City, clearly nervous about the impact of AWOL Mayor Robert Levy on the fall campaigns for State Senate, Assembly and County Executive, want Governor Jon "Zero Tolerance" Corzine to get involved -- perhaps, it has been suggested, find a way to remove Levy from office.  But if Corzine did that, wouldn't he need to be held accountable for removing a resume embellesher with an unspecified illness while being unwilling to call for the immediate ouster of other indicted officials, like State Senators Sharpe James and Wayne Bryant, and Mayors Mims Hackett and Sammy Rivera?

The two most public men in this hour of political reckoning battled in Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy's absence today.

Levy, who's rumored to be the target of a federal probe into his alleged mischaracterization of Vietnam service in order to collect thousands of dollars' worth of benefits, has not reported for work since Wednesday.  Mayor's spokesman Nick Morici this afternoon said business administrator Domenic Cappella told him the mayor is officially on "medical leave," and the mayor's lawyer, Edwin Jacobs, did not return phone calls.

A spokesman for embattled Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy this afternoon said that the mayor is out on “medical leave.”

Spokesman Nicholas Morici said he did not know when Levy would return, and directed all other inquiries regarding rumors of a federal probe involving Levy to his attorney.

The pressure mounted today on embattled Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy, and although his press spokesman steadily denied rumors of an impending resignation announcement, the Press of Atlantic City is reporting that Assemblyman Jim Whelan called on Levy to address rumors that he is the target of a federal law enforcement probe.

The mayor for months has been battling backlash from his campaign cycle comments about serving in the Green Berets. Now the rumor on the street in this seaside gambling city is that Levy improperly applied for and received certain military benefits. The mayor did not respond to a call from PoliticsNJ.com to quash those allegations.

"As far as I know, there is no factual basis to him stepping down or resigning," Nick Morici, Levy's press secretary, said early this afternoon.