Prosecutor Responds To Atlantic City, NJ Calls That He Resign

Atlantic County, New Jersey Prosecutor Will Reynolds has been dealing with the fallout caused by a number of unforced errors.

On the same day that Atlantic City leaders and the NAACP called for his resignation … Reynolds has forcefully responded for the first time in a prepared public press release.

Will Reynolds Side Of The Story

Reynolds has been taking a lot of public criticism over the past several months. Much of it quite earned.

To date, he has responded with press releases that outline various success stories of the work being done by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

This is the first time that he has directly responded to defend himself.

Will Reynolds Answers His Atlantic City Area Critics

In 2022, I was nominated by Governor Murphy and confirmed by the NJ Senate to be the Atlantic County Prosecutor. Upon taking my oath, I swore to uphold the laws of the State of New Jersey and the United States, and I intend to keep doing so with integrity and independence.

With respect to any allegation that this Office sought to silence Commissioner Days, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office raised a potential conflict of interest based solely on the charging and indictment of the Commissioner's daughter. It was, and remains, the responsibility of the Commissioner and the Solicitor to the Board of County Commissioners to determine whether it is appropriate for the Commissioner to vote on any resolution touching upon the Prosecutor's Office, and that precautionary step of raising the conflict had nothing to do with politics or race, but rather reflected this Office's obligation, said Reynolds.

 

Here is a link to our breaking news report about the Reynolds effort to silence Atlantic County Commissioner Collins Days:

Read More: Prosecutor Wants Father Of Atlantic City, NJ Principal Recused

Atlantic City NAACP Announces Public Event To Denounce Will Reynolds

Here is a link to our previous breaking news report:

Read More: Atlantic City, NJ, NAACP — Letter Condemning Prosecutor Reynolds

More Public Comments Directly From Will Reynolds Following The Atlantic City Public Event That Called For Him To Resign

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office rejects any further allegation that its decisions are driven by political or racial considerations. In the prosecution of the Mayor of Atlantic City, this office received a referral from a State agency, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, which we are required and obligated under the law to investigate.

We proceeded with the investigation based upon the victim's statements, audio recordings, contemporaneous statements by the victim and defendants, photographs, and expert opinions of child abuse. In specifically addressing Counselman Kaleem Shabazz's allegation that the plea offer to Mayor Small required his removal from office as a condition from our office, is not accurate. It is a requirement under New Jersey statute that any person convicted of a crime of the third-degree or higher, must forfeit public office, said Reynolds.

When You’re Explaining … You’re Losing

It’s too early to say, however, it does not appear that Reynolds has moved the needle much in terms of his declination in the “court” of public opinion.

It’s The Accumulation

And, convergence of Reynolds’ poor handling of the Marty Small trial and related La’Quetta Small and Constance Days-Chapman cases … followed by a still ongoing nasty public feud with Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson … then, going after Commissioner Collins Days.

It’s just too much, all at one time. It doesn’t undo the previous and current great work conducted by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, however, Reynolds has created so much unnecessary drama and bad will among former allies for no good reason.