ATLANTIC CITY - Domenic Cappella was given extra time to campaign for mayor Monday after the Evans administration suspended him indefinitely, accusing him of publicizing confidential city records at a recent debate.
Cappella, the resort's assistant business administrator, was called to a meeting to discuss a "criminal matter" shortly after he arrived at City Hall on Monday morning. There he was reprimanded by Business Administrator Carol Fredericks for presenting two separate city documents at a debate last week in the city's Venice Park section.
Cappella presented the first document after he was asked a question by Lance Winston, an avid supporter of Mayor Scott Evans. Cappella responded by waving a document he said showed Evans intended to hire Winston before he failed a physical.
After the debate, Evans accused Cappella of violating federal privacy laws.
Fredericks said a representative of one of the city's health-care providers approached the city with concern about the incident after reading about it in The Press of Atlantic City.
"They were very alarmed that information that they are responsible for keeping private might have been released," said Fredericks, who did not remember the name of the health-care provider. "The city is exposed to litigation."
After taking heat from the Evans campaign the day after the incident, Cappella said the whole ordeal was a bluff, claiming the document he held said nothing about Winston's health.
The administration also is taking issue with Cappella's presentation of a memo written by Evans that notified resort officials of the settlement of lawsuit filed by former Fire Capt. Edmund Mawhinney, terminated amid accusations that he racially threatened a subordinate.
Cappella read the memo aloud at the debate last week in an attempt to show that Evans sanctioned the settlement, which has caused a stir among the city's black community.
Although city memos are public record, Fredericks claimed that document is confidential because the matter is in ongoing litigation. However, Cappella argued that Mawhinney's case was settled and he has since been paid.
"Ongoing litigation?" Cappella said Monday. "He got paid, how could it be ongoing litigation?"
The Press also reported the contents of the memo in an article March 13.
"There is a legal way to obtain documents at City Hall," Fredericks said Monday. "That process was not followed. No employee who has access to privileged information, even though they may be entitled to it in their job, they can't release it."
Fredericks said Cappella will remain suspended without pay until the city can schedule a formal hearing with a federal mediator. She would comment on whether Cappella could be fired if the mediator sides with the city.
Although he recently began using the incident at the debate as a campaign issue, the mayor said little about Monday's suspension because the matter is under an administrative investigation.
"Every employee must follow the law," Evans said in a brief interview Monday. "This is a very serious matter."
This is cache, read story here