Atlantic City mayor skips event after alleged casino brawl

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WTXF) - So far, the mayor of Atlantic City mayor is keeping mum about allegations he was involved in a brawl at a casino over the weekend.

In the few moments that Mayor Frank Gilliam has been seen in public, he has been sporting a black eye.

FOX 29's Jeff Cole was in A.C. on Wednesday, looking for answers at an event called the "Mayor's Box Luncheon" - a working lunch for New Jersey's mayors held during the yearly meeting of the League Municipalities in Atlantic City.

Gilliam was tapped to give the host-city welcome Wednesday. But he was a no-show.

New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver was on hand for the event. As the person overseeing state control of the troubled gaming city, she confirmed that she did meet a day earlier with Gilliam.

"He participated in the meeting yesterday," Oliver said.

"Did you speak to him about this alleged fight and the black eye?" Cole asked.

"I did not," Oliver said.

Cole asked why she did not press Gilliam on the embarrassing incident: "How can you oversee Atlantic City and not ask the mayor about a fight that he had at 2:30 in the morning?"

Oliver responded, "Because it is the job of the law enforcement officials, not me. I will not muddy up the waters."

Gilliam has kept a low profile after multiple sources say he was caught on tape with City Councilman Jeffree Fauntleroy fighting with others in the parking lot of the Golden Nugget Casino early Sunday morning.

An investigation is under way, which was moved Tuesday by the state Attorney General from the Atlantic County prosecutor to Cape May.

"In order for the public to have confidence in the outcome, we thought it was better to send it to a neutral county prosecutor's office," Attorney General Gurbir Grewal explained.

FOX 29 met Wednesday with a source with detailed knowledge of the brawl who says Gilliam swung with his right fist at a man standing in the parking lot but missed.

The source claims Fauntleroy then threw the man to the pavement and later hit him in the mouth.

Grewal, who was in town for the League of Municipalities, wouldn't comment on the details of the fight but admitted it doesn't sound good.

"It's a minor setback," the state's attorney general said.

"Is it a minor setback, a fight?" Cole asked.

"The investigation will reveal whatever the outcome is here," Grewal said. "You know, it certainly is a black eye, and we're going to move forward through this."

Calls to Fauntleroy's office were not answered.

Issues in Atlantic City are severe. While waiting to report live from city hall, Cole reported hearing the distinct sound of three gunshots, and police responded to the area.