Fall River's embattled mayor will not resign from office despite a city council motion last week demanding he step down or face a recall election.
Jasiel F. Correia II made the announcement Wednesday hours before a 5 p.m. deadline that had been set by Fall River's city council to either step down from his office or face a recall election.
"I will ask the public for their vote again," Correia tweeted Wednesday afternoon. "If they select me then I will continue to serve if not that's ok too."
"Life moves on, life continues, the city continues, my life continues," Correia said later Wednesday. "Am I facing some challenges? Of course I am. But those challenges do not cross into my city life, my public life."
He also released a letter to city councilors stating his "strong belief that the choice rests with the people of our City that I ask the public once again reaffirm their vote for me."
The mayor's decision to not resign was first reported by The Boston Globe following an interview.
"This isn't a matter or a decision that I need to make by myself. And this isn't a decision that the City Council should make for the people of Fall River," Correia told the Globe, adding that it should be up to the voters of Fall River to decide his administration's fate.
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The city council's demand for Correia to either resign or face a referendum was announced last week after the city's Board of Elections certified more than 4,000 signatures to recall the mayor.
Correia, 27, was charged with multiple counts of tax and wire fraud in October after he was accused by federal prosecutors of using investments in a company he formed as his "own personal ATM" to enjoy casinos and adult entertainment, buy a Mercedes and pay down student loan debt.
