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," said his attorney, Edwin Jacobs. "He does so with great regret and with apologies to his supporters, to the people of Atlantic City, and to his family and friends."

The president of the seaside city's council was sworn in as acting mayor.

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 say only that he was hospitalized somewhere, and they would not disclose his condition.

Levy checked himself into a clinic because he had 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, Jacobs said.

"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 at a news conference Wednesday that Levy did not attend.

The next day, according to Jacobs, he took Levy to a doctor who confirmed Levy had been overmedicating himself. Two days after that, on Sept. 26, Levy checked himself in to a center 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.

At Levy's home Wednesday, a sign was taped to the front door that read, "No reporters, please! We have no comment. Thank you for respecting our privacy."

The Press of Atlantic City reported last fall 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 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 medals and citations. But Jacobs said Levy apparently received two military decorations he did not deserve, and that those awards led to his benefits being boosted by about $24,000 over a number of years. He would not clarify how the citations led to the increase.

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

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs declined to discuss Levy's benefits.

Levy's resignation cleared the way for City Council President William "Speedy" Marsh, a fellow Democrat, to take over.

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

Sworn in as acting mayor in the City Council chambers, Marsh promised to renew residents' trust in city government.

"Every spirit of mind and body that I possess will be directed into restoring faith and confidence in administrative government in Atlantic City," said Marsh, who will serve as acting mayor until the council picks an interim mayor from names offered by the local Democratic Party.

The next regularly scheduled mayoral election is in 2009.

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Associated Press writer Chris Newmarker in Trenton contributed to this report.