Atlantic City mayor resigns after 2-week absence from office; was in rehab clinic

The mayor of this gambling resort resigned Wednesday after a two-week absence from office during which he checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.

Robert Levy's disappearance came amid a federal investigation for embellishing his Army service in Vietnam.

"Mr. Levy has concluded that public confidence is so eroded by these circumstances that the only responsible action is to step down," his attorney, Edwin Jacobs, said. "He does so with great regret and with apologies to his supporters, to the people of Atlantic City, and to his family and friends."

City officials last heard from Levy on Sept. 26, when he called in sick, climbed into his city-issued Dodge Durango and seemingly vanished. Aides to Levy, a Democrat who took office in January 2006, would only say that he was hospitalized somewhere, and would not disclose his condition.

Jacobs said Levy checked himself into a clinic because he'd been overmedicating himself with pain pills to treat severe back pain, as well as using different medication to treat post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his war service.

"He needed to get off the medication he was taking. I wouldn't call it an addiction. It was a detox situation," Jacobs said.

Jacobs said he met with Levy on Sept. 23.

"It was apparent to me as a layman, that he was experiencing medical problems. Bob Levy was in a medical crisis and needed a leave of absence," Jacobs said during a news conference Wednesday; Levy did not attend the conference.

The following day, according to Jacobs, he brought Levy to a doctor who confirmed Levy had been overmedicating himself. Two days after that, on Sept. 26, Levy checked himself in to a facility that treats substance abuse and mental health issues.

Details about the mayor's whereabouts began emerging Tuesday, when Jacobs met with a judge considering a City Council request to declare Levy's office vacant.

Afterward, Jacobs announced that Levy was at home after spending a week at the clinic, but he wouldn't elaborate on why Levy went there.

Last fall, The Press of Atlantic City reported that the Vietnam veteran's claims that he was a member of the Green Berets were untrue. He apologized, but federal authorities have been looking into whether Levy made that claim to increase his veteran's benefit payments.

On Wednesday, Jacobs said the mayor was in discussions with the U.S. Attorney's Office about resolving the investigation.

Levy served two tours of duty in Vietnam, and was awarded numerous medals and citations. But it was two of those awards that have him in trouble with federal prosecutors.

Jacobs said the two military decorations at issue led to his benefits being boosted by about $24,000 over a number of years.

When asked if Levy was willing to pay the amount back, Jacobs said, "If he's done anything wrong, Bob Levy will be completely responsible for it."

Levy's resignation clears the way for City Council President William "Speedy" Marsh, a fellow Democrat, to take over as interim mayor, according to Marsh's lawyer, James Leonard.

"He is going to assume the office of mayor today," Leonard said Wednesday.

Before Levy's resignation, fed-up members of the city council had asked a judge to declare the mayor's office vacant.

Levy's disappearance roiled this casino resort, where four of the eight mayors that preceded him were arrested on corruption charges.