Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron resigns under pressure from N.J. Attorney General

WILDWOOD — Mayor Pete Byron, who has faced criminal charges in federal and state courts but had vowed to stay in office, resigned Thursday, the city said.

Deputy Mayor Krista Fitzsimons assumed his responsibilities immediately, the city said in a statement.

Although Byron did not give a specific reason (other than “Politics sucks!!” in a text message), the abrupt resignation came as the state Attorney General was pursuing legal action to force him from public office.

Michael Symons, a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office, said Thursday afternoon that a forfeiture-of-office motion had been filed with the Superior Court on Aug. 15, and served on the mayor, “following his federal conviction for willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent federal tax returns.”

Byron’s resignation came one day before the complaint’s “return date,” Symons said, meaning that the mayor had to respond by Sept. 22 or else the forfeiture motion would proceed to a judge for a ruling.

“It is with deep sadness — yet great hope — for the continued prosperity of Wildwood, that I resign as mayor of the City of Wildwood, N.J.,” Byron said in the statement. “I have held the honor and pleasure of serving my community as commissioner for the past 12 years.”

Byron, 68, a Democrat, was a popular yet beleaguered mayor of the iconic resort town, which faced challenges this summer from a series of power outages that cut into summer revenue for businesses. His constituents had rallied around his determination to stay in office despite his legal troubles.

Thursday’s announcement ran contrary to his public statements. He had been contemplating whether to run for reelection even after the federal court sentencing.

In a text message Thursday afternoon, Byron said of the resignation: “Politics sucks !! I was between a rock and a hard place. People who know me still believe in me.”

He did not elaborate.

Byron had been mayor since 2020, and was famously barred from a Trump campaign rally in town after asking for reimbursement for expenses from then-President Trump.

Byron, meanwhile, was sentenced to probation in August in federal court in Camden after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges.

The judge, U.S. District Judge Karen Williams, called the Shore town mayor’s submission of false tax returns that omitted $40,000 in income “a serious offense.” Williams also ordered Byron to pay more than $21,000 in fines and restitution, and to seek mental health treatment after Byron told authorities that stress led him to commit the financial crimes.

Byron received the money from an unspecified “sales job” but did not report that income.

The same day, the state Attorney General’s office announced that Byron, along with two other current and former Wildwood officials, had once again been indicted by a grand jury on charges that they allegedly submitted false records, asserting that they worked full time, so that they qualified for taxpayer-funded health benefits, which as part-time elected officials they were not eligible for.

Still, Byron vowed to continue doing his job, saying “I’ll continue to do my job and hold my head high.” But two weeks later, the state Attorney General sought to prohibit him from holding public office under New Jersey law.

In the Thursday statement, he touted his administration’s achievements, including planned revitalization projects for Pacific Avenue, the Back Bay landfill remediation, and the rebuilding of half of the town’s historic boardwalk. He also cited “year-over-year beach revenue growth,” during his 12-year tenure and refurbishments of city parks, the dog park and the Byrne Recreation Center.

He said he would now focus “on being the best dad and grandfather to my loving family.”