A Superior Court judge dismissed a theft complaint against Atlantic City's mayor and his campaign manager, the mayor announced Tuesday.
Frank Gilliam said it was a good day for the city now that the distraction over a $10,000 check meant for the Atlantic City Democratic Committee that was deposited into his campaign fund.
This issue “almost outshined that the city of Atlantic City is a great city and a city that’s on the rebound," he said. "For three months that’s all that we could hear when, for three months, there were tremendous things happening in Atlantic City."
READ FULL DECISION HERE
A criminal complaint filed by committeeman and retired police officer John Devlin did not have "even a scintilla of evidence that the purpose of either Mr. Gilliam or (campaign manager Richard Winstead) was to deprive another of the benefit, use or possession of the check and its proceeds," which is required under the definition of theft, Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury wrote in his
March 27 decision.
He went on to say the allegation "sets forth far less than even 'naked suspicion' of wrongdoing."
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Gilliam also denied a media report quoting him saying he believed the FBI would be questioning him. He said that is not true.
His former running made, Councilman George Tibbitt, has said he was interviewed by investigators both from the FBI and the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office concerning other checks. The Prosecutor's Office has denied there is an investigation.
Gilliam said his public ELEC report shows anything that has gone into his campaign.
The check has split the city's party, although Gilliam downplayed that, saying those against him are what he calls "Republi-cats."
"This is not my party," he said. "You cannot destroy or attempt to destroy the party and say it's the same party."
There were two meetings Monday night that each claimed to be the true Atlantic City Democratic Committee. The one Gilliam was at is the true one, he said.
But the other group, which gathered at the Irish Pub, said that they followed the rules in replacing their former leadership and that they are the real committee.
That group voted to file civil litigation against Gilliam for the check, which was money they say could have been used to help other Democrats' campaigns, including the loss of a freeholder seat by about 200 votes.
Gilliam said that is not his party and that those on the same side would keep their disagreements behind closed doors.
Either way, he said DeLury's decision ends this debate.
"Today Atlantic City is in the media on a high note," Gilliam said.
Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam is expected to announce Tuesday that his name has been cleared. But the Atlantic City Democratic Committee members that broke away from the leadership that backed him says it's not over. The criminal complaint Committeeman John Devlin filed concerning a $10,000 ch
A Superior Court judge dismissed a theft complaint against Atlantic City's mayor and his campaign manager, the mayor announced Tuesday.
Frank Gilliam said it was a good day for the city now that the distraction over a $10,000 check meant for the Atlantic City Democratic Committee that was deposited into his campaign fund.
This issue “almost outshined that the city of Atlantic City is a great city and a city that’s on the rebound," he said. "For three months that’s all that we could hear when, for three months, there were tremendous things happening in Atlantic City."
