Jewish mayor of Anchorage resigns as lover exposes all, makes anti-Semitic death threat

Berkowitz, 58, denied the accusations but admitted to the inappropriate relationship with Athens.

By David Isaac, World Israel News

The mayor of Alaska’s largest city picked a poor paramour.

Ethan Berkowitz submitted his resignation Tuesday evening, four days after local anchorwoman Maria Athens, with whom he was having an affair, appeared to have a meltdown, leaving voice messages dripping in anti-Semitism, accusing him of pedophilia and threatening to bring him down, which she did, although perhaps not in they way she intended.

Berkowitz, 58, denied her accusations but admitted to the inappropriate relationship with Athens, an anchor at a Fox/ABC combined station in Anchorage.

“It is with profound sadness and humility that I resign as mayor of the Municipality of Anchorage,” Berkowitz said in a statement read at the Anchorage Assembly meeting by his chief of staff, Jason Bockenstedt, and later emailed to the media.

“My resignation results from unacceptable personal conduct that has compromised my ability to perform my duties with the focus and trust that is required,” Berkowitz wrote.

On Friday, Athens had posted to social media accusations against Berkowitz along with a nude photo said to be of the mayor. Athens was arrested later that day for assault and disorderly conduct after a fight at the TV station where she worked, the Anchorage Daily News reported on Tuesday.

The mayor’s office denied Athen’s claims that he had posted inappropriate photos on an “underage girls website.”

“The slanderous allegations from Your Alaska Link reporter Maria Athens are categorically false and appear to be the product of someone who is hostile and unwell,” the mayor’s office said.

In a 60-second voice message, Athens threatened to kill the mayor and his wife. The audio of the Friday morning phone call to Berkowitz was obtained by the online blog The Alaska Landmine.

“Ethan, it’s Maria Athens from Fox/ABC/CW/News Net National Alaska. Uh, I just learned through my Emmy-award winning journalism you’re also a pedophile and like little girls and children, and there’s a website. I’m so f***ing exposing you. I’m gonna get an Emmy,” she said.

“So you either turn yourself in, kill yourself, or do what you need to do. I will personally kill you and Mara Kimmel my goddamn self, you Jewish piece of living f***ing s***. You have met your match, motherf*****. You have met your mother****** match. I can’t believe — I am such a good person, and thought I loved you. I f***ing hate — I don’t even hate you. I will pray for your Zionist f***ing ass, you piece of shit loser. And, I’m putting this on the news tonight. Bye! Have a great Friday, you mother*****!”

Athens’ apparent breakdown may have been sparked by a businesswoman she interviewed who claimed that her daughter, an adult escort, had been hired by Berkowitz. The daughter later denied her mother’s claims on Twitter.

AP contributed to this report.