Gov. Corzine wades into A.C.’s missing mayor drama
Gov. Corzine today plans to address whether the state can help settle Atlantic City's missing mayor limbo. "He's not scheduled to announce anything," said Lilo Stainton, the governor's press secretary. "The reason the governor's going down is to answer questions about what the state can or can't do about the situation."
ATLANTIC CITY – Gov. Corzine today plans to address whether the state can help settle Atlantic City's missing mayor limbo.
The governor will travel to Atlantic City for a news conference this afternoon. He plans to join State Assemblyman Jim Whelan on the Boardwalk at 2:45 p.m.
"He's not scheduled to announce anything," said Lilo Stainton, the governor's press secretary. "The reason the governor's going down is to answer questions about what the state can or can't do about the situation."
Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy and his city-issued SUV disappeared Sept. 26. Two days later, his office issued a statement saying he was hospitalized.
With no one in charge, City Council asked the governor to help determine whether Levy has abandoned his office or whether someone else should take charge until he is located.
Levy's disappearance comes amid an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office into whether he faked his military record to collect veteran's benefits, The Associated Press reported.
Citing an official with knowledge of the case, the AP said the probe involves whether Levy's false claims to have served with the U.S. Army Green Berets in Vietnam were a ploy to bump up his veteran's benefits.
Assemblyman Whelan, a former Atlantic City mayor who has been best friends with Levy since the two were teenage lifeguards together, has called on Levy to explain his absence or resign.
"You can't have this big mystery going on and have a functioning city government," Whelan told The Inquirer earlier this week.