Mayor Apologizes, Won't Resign After Three-Day Public Drinking Bender

Sheboygan, Wis. Mayor Bob Ryan, a self-described alcoholic, has apologized after a three-day public drinking spree last weekend, but said he will not resign from office.

Ryan initially downplayed last weekend's events, but now admits to drinking for several days, passing out in a bar and getting in a fight, the Sheboygan Press reported.

"I regret what I did. It's nobody's fault but my own," Ryan said. Still, he maintains that several accounts that were reported are untrue, including that he drove his car while drunk and made inappropriate comments to women.

Ryan told Milwaukee's WHBL radio alcohol has never affected his job performance.

"Alcohol has never affected the way I do my job. Alcohol has affected my personal life greatly," Ryan said.

Ryan said he'd been sober for a year before last weekend's "indefensible" relapse, and claimed he's received mostly positive calls from residents since it happened.

"Public support has not waned for me," Ryan said. "Calls into my office are 10-to-1 positive. I have a lot of support from people."

The city council is slated to take up a resolution Monday on whether to formally ask Ryan to resign. He has said he will begin intensive treatment seminars in the evenings and on the weekends.

Alderman Eric Rindfleisch said asking Ryan to resign would have nothing to do with his alcoholism.

“I would no more remove someone for the disease of alcoholism than I would for the disease of cancer,” Rindfleisch said. “It’s not the alcoholism, it’s the embarrassment issue to the city.”