Levinson Says Atlantic County Prosecutor Will Seek More Money as Legal Battle Continues

ATLANTIC COUNTY — Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson says the county prosecutor will seek funding beyond his current budget as a bitter legal dispute between Prosecutor William Reynolds and county government continues with no apparent resolution in sight.

Speaking on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on WOND, Levinson said the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office currently has a budget of approximately $18 million and predicted Reynolds will seek additional money.

"Yeah, he's going to want to go above it," Levinson said when asked whether Reynolds would seek to exceed his budget. "That's what this thing is all about."

The comments represent the latest development in an increasingly contentious dispute involving Reynolds, Levinson, the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners and other county officials.

At issue is Reynolds' use of outside legal counsel and his ongoing litigation against county government.

Levinson said Reynolds has declined to use attorneys from the Atlantic County Counsel's Office, specifically naming County Counsel Arthur Murray and Deputy County Counsel Lynn Hughes.

"He has questioned their competence. He has questioned their integrity. He does not use them," Levinson said.

Levinson said Reynolds instead retained outside counsel from Fox Rothschild, which Levinson suggested could cost as much as $1,000 per hour. That figure was Levinson's estimate during the interview, and South Jersey NewsBeat has not independently confirmed the attorney's billing rate.

The legal fight has been unfolding for months. In May, Atlantic County announced that Reynolds had voluntarily dropped two counts from an earlier four-count complaint after the county filed its opposition. According to the county, one of the withdrawn claims involved alleged interference by Levinson with prosecutorial functions, while another challenged Levinson's public comments about the prosecutor.

Levinson said he does not control how Reynolds spends money once the Prosecutor's Office budget is approved.

"I gave him the budget that he asked for," Levinson said. "By the way, it's up to him how he spends it. I give the budget, he spends it."

"I don't have any power over the prosecutor, nor does any other executive," he added.

Levinson also stressed that the county budget is not his decision alone.

"The way this government is set up, I propose, the commissioners dispose," Levinson said, referring to the Board of County Commissioners' authority over the budget. "And they agreed with this budget."

Dispute Became More Personal After Small Case

The deteriorating relationship between Levinson and Reynolds has also become intertwined with the prosecution of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.

A jury acquitted Small in December on charges stemming from allegations involving his teenage daughter. Charges against Small's wife, Atlantic City Superintendent of Schools La'Quetta Small, and Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman were subsequently dismissed.

Levinson has publicly criticized the prosecution and previously argued that the remaining cases should be dropped following the mayor's acquittal.

Small and others later filed a civil lawsuit against Reynolds, the Prosecutor's Office and a detective, alleging the prosecution was politically and racially motivated. Reynolds previously defended his office's handling of the investigation, saying it was conducted "honestly and impartially" and that prosecutors were seeking the truth and justice for the alleged victim.

During the WOND interview, Levinson again sharply criticized Reynolds' handling of the Small case, while also saying he has no authority over the prosecutor's decisions.

The relationship between the two men has deteriorated to the point that Levinson said they have not spoken in approximately a year.

Cronick asked Levinson when he expects the court to resolve the dispute.

"No," Levinson responded when asked whether there was any timetable. "The wheels of justice, you know, you have a situation between county government, the commissioners, the administrator, the county executive against the prosecutor."

Despite the increasingly public battle, Levinson ended the discussion by extending what amounted to an offer to end the feud.

"Anytime he wants to shake hands and bury the hatchet and drop all this nonsensical court cases, I'm more than willing to do so and we get back on track," Levinson said. "Now, what more can I do than that?"

For taxpayers, the unresolved question is how much the legal battle will ultimately cost — particularly if the Prosecutor's Office seeks additional county funding as Levinson predicts.