Atlantic City mayor says search warrants involve ‘private family issue,’ not corruption

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small said Monday that a search of his home last week by prosecutors involved “a private family issue,” not a crime.

The Democratic mayor held a news conference at City Hall to respond to the execution last Thursday of five search warrants by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office naming the mayor and his wife, LaQuetta Small, the city’s superintendent of schools.

Small said he and his wife have been interacting with state child welfare authorities and have nothing to hide.

“We’re going through family therapy, and that’s what this should be, a family matter,” he said.

Small’s wife and two children attended the news conference with him but did not speak, and left before it was completed.

Jason Butkowski, a spokesman for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, said Monday it cannot publicly discuss its cases to protect the privacy of those involved.

After officers from the county prosecutor’s office searched the Smalls’ home and vehicles, they left with two cellphones and between four to six laptops, said Small’s attorney, Edwin Jacobs.

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