Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small addresses what he calls 'rumors' after home search

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small addressed what he called 'rumors' on Monday morning at a news conference after his home was searched by authorities last week.

Small, who was joined by his attorney Ed Jacobs, said the investigation is a personal matter and does not involve the city of Atlantic City or his constituents.

Jacobs said the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office has been investigating Small and his wife. Small's wife, Dr. La'Quetta Small, is the superintendent of Atlantic City Schools. Jacobs said the mayor and his wife have been cooperating with authorities.

Rumors started after photos showed law enforcement officers outside Small's Atlantic City home as a search warrant was executed on Thursday morning.

Small said the search warrant was for cell phones and laptops.

"There's no corruption. We don't have Atlantic City Housing Authority money in our house. We don't have City of Atlantic City money in our house. I didn't steal anything. My wife didn't bring Atlantic City Board of Education to our house as alleged. No, we don't have drugs in our house and no, we don't have guns," he said.

Small says this stems from a personal family matter, and addressed rumors that have been spreading about his family.

"My daughter is not pregnant. My daughter has never been pregnant. My daughter is not pregnant with twins. As I said, she's never been pregnant," he said.

"The other rumor is, that they said came from an Atlantic City police officer, that said my daughter got knocked up by a drug dealer in Stanley Holmes village, that my wife beat the bleep out of her while my son recorded the whole thing, and I just stood there. False," he continued.

"The most egregious rumor today is that my daughter was pregnant with twins. And I beat the (expletive) out of her so bad that I killed the babies. And I'm going to be charged with double, double murder. And the other one, during the raid, that they were looking for evidence of a miscarriage in my home," Small went on to say.

He then addressed the toll this is taking on his family.

"Now, would you be able to handle this like I'm handling? Would you be able to deal with this? If someone was spreading rumors on your child and or your family member? I think not," Small said.

Small said 20 law enforcement officials showed up at the home with "guns, rifles, battering rams and more." He said it was overly aggressive and that the search lasted 3.5 hours, he said.

"We did not deserve that," he said.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office released a statement saying the search warrants were executed in professional manner and all polies and procedures were followed.

"The men and women of this office involved in the search conducted themselves in the highest professional manner. Standard operating procedures and protocols in executing residential search warrants were utilized to ensure the safety of all occupants of the residence, neighbors, and law enforcement alike," a statement said.

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.

No charges were announced against either of the Smalls after the raid or in subsequent days.

The search warrant at Small's house happened the same day the principal of Atlantic City High School Constance Days-Chapman was arrested.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor says Days-Chapman failed to report allegations of child abuse to proper authorities when a student came forward.

During the Monday news conference, Small said Days-Chapman, who his family calls "Mandy," is a dear friend.

"We support you Mandy. You did absolutely nothing wrong," he said.

Days-Chapman has served as chair of Atlantic City's Democratic Committee and ran Mayor Small's reelection campaign in 2021.

Days-Chapman has not commented on the charges against her.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.